Phoenix Tropicals Gardening

[Kellogg-Briand]

I was watering my indoor plants today and I was wondering if anyone was growing an Akee outside in Phoenix or the southwestern desert. The plant weighs over 100 pounds now and it is difficult to move it to the bathroom for watering. It's tall so I have to bend over to avoid hitting it on the doorways. Please let me know if anyone has had success growing this plant outside. If not I'll keep it inside and try to rig a dolly for moving the plant back and forth. Thank you.

[peruviansilver]

Nice looking plant. I haven't ever tried it outside. You can see how it takes summer in the shade in a pot to test it. Then you can see it takes winter outside, once again in a pot. Very tropical plants will get sick in the winter, in the cool weather, even if there is not a freeze. For example, jack fruit gets sickly outside here in the winter. Here is a description of this plant from the Top Tropicals website. Evidently the fruit is poisonous until ripe, which would make me a little nervous.

Season: May fruit twice a year, heaviest crop in summer. National fruit of Jamaica. Rather large, handsome, fast growing, evergreen tree, may be kept at a reasonable height through regular pruning. When fully mature the fruit opens revealing a crisp, cream colored, glossy aril, somewhat nutty-flavored attached to large, black, shiny seeds. Fruit is poisonous until allowed to open naturally. Makes a very tasty side dish: boil for five minutes and fry in butter. The plant is somewhat hardy to light frost.

[Kellogg-Briand]

The route you suggested is a very sound option. I never know what will live outside here. The jackfruit I have did fine outside last winter. However, it grows very slowly outside in the ground. This is its second full year and it has only grown a foot. My jackfruit is a seedling and not a named cultivar so that might make some difference. I have heard that seedlings may be hardier.