looking for anyone close to new orleans to share info on citrus an other fruits and tropicals. thanks paul from metairie louisiana next to new orleans

Hello Paul,

I just joined these forums and came across your post.

I live in Gretna, and currently have 6 different citrus trees in the ground, and ~17 tropicals in the ground, including Multiple types of Guava, Barbados Cherry, Dragon Fruit, Passiflora Edulis, Pomegranate, Jaboticaba, White Sapote, Longan, Brewster and Emperor Lychee, and Sri Kemangan Starfruit. Also have some others in pots. This past winter I lost 3 Papayas (which had previously survived freezing temps) and a 3 year-old seedling mango.

Drop me a pm-I've been looking for others in the NO area with similar interests.

dave, when can i come over for a visit? i just bought a house in old gretna last year and im looking to plant a few citrus trees...any of those trees you got producing so i can give them a taste test???

anyway i guess that makes 3 of us lol, i dont know much about citrus yet, but im looking to learn...


red

Hello Redster-Welcome to Gretna!

Many of the trees I've listed have produced. On the citrus side, I'm down to my last 4 or so Moro blood oranges from this season (they were amazing this year), and I still have some Ruby Red Grapefruit on a dwarf tree. All of my citrus trees are flowering like crazy right now.

I've got flowers right now on my two lychee trees, I got nice fruit from my small Emperor Lychee and my Longan tree last year. I'm really impressed with how well the Lychees have done-they didn't bat an eye when we got down to 28 degrees not too long ago. Both of my starfruit trees produce (over-produce is more like it). I also got Dragon Fruit this year, but that plant froze back (as did my 3 large papaya trees - completely dead); I also usually get a good crop from my purple passionfruit. You're welcome to seeds/cuttings of anything I have.

I'm in Destin this week visiting my Parents, I'll return Sunday evening. PM me your email address.

BTW, I also used to live in Old Gretna, on 8th Street.

Many times papaya will come back from the roots. Give them time & you may be surprised...

That would be great Laaz-I've grown attached to these three trees. I purchased them as 10 inch plants from a very elderly couple in town back around 2003 for the princely sum of 2 bucks a piece. They produce lots of fruit, and have lived through Hurricane Katrina and more (I actually have pictures with snow on them). They have experienced die-back before, but I checked on them a couple of days ago and the "trunks" are completely hollow and brittle now. I had given up on them, but that would be great if they surprise me.

redster, forgot to mention Bantings Nursery in Bridge City just got in a very nice shipment of Citrus and Tropical fruit trees. They have a nice range of Citrus trees which are very reasonably priced. They get their tropical fruit trees from Pine Island Nursery in Florida, and if you call and speak to Beth, she will actually custom order whatever you want from Pine Island when they place their seasonal order. I believe they order from Pine Island twice a year, and I've gotten many of my trees through them.

I am sorry I didn't reply earlier I didn’t see any replies. I would love to meet you. I live in Metairie and my neighbors think I am nuts. I am always looking for new plants that produce food. I also have 8 laying hens. Looking forward to hearing from you. Paul