Phoenix Tropicals Gardening

[saul4paz]

This is the easiest hands down rare fruit to grow. Its a Mexican snack that is rarely available even in Mexican markets. But when it is its $8 a pound. Fruit taste like a dried coconut mix with raisin,

Easy to grow, like Texas ebony, my uncle has two over 15ft that produce fruit each year in Glendale, with a good eye you can spot them all over, Latino homes.

The only drawback is that it has thorns, and it will get big like a mesquite. But it will do good with pruning, Loves water, or no Water, 120F no problem in full sun, 15F wont kill it either it just go dormant. Otherwise its evergreen, in PHX.

You can almost always find it at swat meets/around the valley. But I don’t know why it’s more widely grown. I think it’s just no familiarly with it.

More info links;

http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/pithecellobium_guatemalensis.htm

http://www.winrock.org/fnrm/factnet/factpub/FACTSH/P_dulce.html

[phoenixtropicals]

I had never heard of that name for it. Its a tamarind. I've heard of them around here but haven't had the luck to sample one here yet. Although, I have tried them elsewhere. Carob trees also do well here I think. Carobs are named Algorrobo in Spanish. In Peru they make an alchoholic beverage out of Algorrobo and Pisco called Cocktail De Algorrobina. It is great tasting. It kind of reminds me of Kahlua. Thanks.

[saul4paz]

The tamarind is related yes and the brown fruited one is a super slow grower. There's two types a brown one you can make a brown juice with, and another one that has white fruit like popcorn (cocunut tastin);

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/manila_tamarind.htm

This plant grows much Faster, then the brown tamarind. I have one in perticular that have double over the last year.(no special treatment; just well drained soil, citric water schedulale) I will take picture of mine and post soon.

I have a bunch of little 3fters, Im thinking they can make some good filtered light once they get bigger. There cool when they push new growth its bright red. In the winter they dark green too.

The AZRFG had both at there last plant sale.

[saul4paz]

Guamuchil manila tamarind growing strong on a very hot summer wall.

[phoenixtropicals]

Nice

[Little Luey]

I remember my grandparents having a swing on a
guamuchil tree back in Mexico. I like the fruit better when it is almost dried compared to when it is just off the tree.
Good eating.

[Dauntless]

After reading your post, I had to find one of these trees. I love coconut and since coconut palms don't do well here and since this tree's fruit is supposed to taste like coconuts and raisins this was a welcome find.
Except for the thorns, I don't see what is not to love about this tree, drought tolerant, can take the heat and the cold and is an attractive plant.
I bought mine from Tropica Mango as a 1 gallon sized plant. As soon as I put it in the ground about a month ago, it has grown, a few inches. Now though, with the cooler nights, it has slowed down and has actually lost some leaves. I hope that's normal!

[raimeiken]

I just got one of these from Lowes. Now does it really go dormant and can withstand freezing temps?

because on the label it says it's hardy down to only 32f. I've read in other website also that it's hardy to 30-32f.

[phoenixtropicals]

It seems that it actually is not a tamarind. It actually looks somewhat similar to Peruvian Pacay. The trees leaves are very different but the way the fruit is in the pod and the fact that its a legume makes it similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pithecellobium_dulce

http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/gardening/guamuchil-pithecellobium-dulce-t977.html

http://jaltembajalapeno.com/about-our-area/flora-and-fauna/trees-of-nayarit/guamuchil/

[raimeiken]

yeah they're not tamarinds at all. I used to eat this a lot back when I lived in the Philippines, it's the reason why I bought the tree

[Dauntless]

I have one of these that is about a year old. It didn't go through last year's colder winter but we did have some frosts in my area and it did fine.
I live in an out lying area that gets a bit colder than in the cities. This tree is planted in a lower area right next to a wash so it was the coldest part of my yard.
It did lose some of it's leaves but not all.

[raimeiken]

how fast does it grow?

[Hyperfalls]

Just got one from home depot.

[phoenixtropicals]

Nice. Now I'm going to have to go get one... ha ha.

[raimeiken]

no leaves?

the one I got from Lowe's is from La verne as well and it's full of leaves.