Phoenix Tropicals Gardening

[ajbcirc]

Anyone see any interesting tropicals for sale at their local Lowes / HD this weekend?

I live in the NE valley and all I've seen so far (besides a ton of pineapple, strawberry, and lemon guavas) are:

1. Loquats (Advance, Champagne, Big Jim, and McBeth)
2. Goji Berries
3. Dragon Fruit
4. Tropic pink guavas
5. Lots of soon to die avocados

I did see a zinfadel grape and a gold nugget mango at the South Scottsdale Lowes last Monday. Both are gone as of this weekend. The figs (Brown Turkey and Mission) came and went within a few days.

Didn't see anything at the East Chandler Lowes of any significance.

Talked to the North Scottsdale Lowes plant manager. He's not planning to get anything more from Laverne until he moves more of his existing stock due to space. Interesting enough, today I learned that Lowes throws away all returned plants due to disease concerns. Home Depot still restocks.

Speaking of which, apparently Laverne is shipping white sapote and red guava now, according to their website.

[Dauntless]

I was just at the one at Ellsworth and Southern in Mesa.
They had the Gojis, Dragonfruit, Passionfruit, various guavas and White Sapote as well as various citrus.

[ajbcirc]

I did see one passionfruit at the East Chandler Lowes.

[Dauntless]

I just remembered that they also had some Fuyu and Haichya Persimmon trees there too. Although, the Fuyu's were not leafed out. Of course my new Izu Persimmon just leafed out a couple of weeks ago so they may be ok.

[ajbcirc]

Visited the S. Scottsdale Lowes today. Had the following stuff in that was new:

1. Dwarf Cavendish Banana
2. Manila Mangoes
3. Tropic Pink and Tropic White Guavas (in addition to all the other types)
4. Brown Turkey Figs
5. Li and Lang Jujubes
6. Persimmons

Anyone see any Red Malayasian Guavas?

Thanks Dauntless for the heads up on the Suebells in Mesa. Just planted one in the yard today.

[tropicaltree]

I saw Red Malayasian Guavas in S Tempe Lowes.

[mullenium]

i hate when they sell dwarf cav's

they are horrible for az.. poor heat and cold tolerance

[phoenixtropicals]

I am really impressed with Rajapuri banana plants. Nice thick trunk that won't bend under the weight of bananas, grows even in cooler weather, and fruits every year. The fruit tastes a lot like supermarket bananas but a little more dense. There are some nurseries online that sell them.

[ajbcirc]

Found two Red Malayasian at the Tempe Lowes -- thanks Tropicaltree!

Saw some Mexican Papayas there as well. Haven't seen those at Lowes before.

Also saw an Ice Cream banana.

[saul4paz]

The elsworth lowes has sapotes, FYI to everyone, these are hard to find and mostly carefree plants (compared to most exotics fruits) I would pick them up if i because it could be up to a few years before you see them for 30bks in a 5 gallons,. fruit taste like a persimon/.banana ,matt has excellent info on his Sapote guide in this web site

[ajbcirc]

FYI, there was one Panache Tiger fig left at the Tempe Lowes as of last Wednesday. For those that want to try growing figs, skip Brown Turkey and Mission -- Panache is one of the best out there across the board for flavor (and probably the best white fig overall, with Negronne/Violette de Bourdeaux being the best dark fig).

The flavor of Panache is exactly like strawberry jam.

[saul4paz]

I agree; I want to get a panache(maybe this winter from a cutting)

Fuyu persimons spoted saturday (5/21/11) at the Lowes on chandler bvd./ I10, 34bks big 5 gallon along with 4 jujubes, 2 cabernet sav. grapes behind the other fruit trees. white guavas too.

[Dauntless]

ajbcirc, I'm glad that you got a Sapote too. I have been looking for one of these so it was a great find for the price.
I had already gotten a Panache earlier this Spring and now that I read your "strawberry jam" description, I am really glad that I did. So, now I have a Kodota, the Panache and a Black Jack. Unfortunately, I found out about the Violette after I had already gotten the others. I wish I had that one but I'm thinking that 4 fig trees may be a bit too much.
Lowes has been great for tropicals this year.
I hear that they have all of their regular fruit trees for 1/2 price.

[mullenium]

i drove out from maricopa to the ellsworth and southern lowes

they had 2 left.. well initially i only saw one, a little smaller but it was flowering already so i was pretty stoked..

when i was leaving i took one last glance at the back of that rack of plants and saw one hiding in the back which was bigger but not flowering.. decided to swap them out and go with the bigger trunk and taller of the 2.. even though it wasnt flowering

but as of yesterday the other one is still there if any lurkers are reading this