Philippine Red Guava
A tropical fruiting guava prized for reddish-bronze foliage and aromatic, red-skinned fruit with pink to red flesh. In Phoenix, it needs protection from severe summer exposure and winter freezes. Special Features Edible, fragrant fruit; ornamental reddish foliage; attractive exfoliating bark. Generally self-fruitful, though insect pollination improves fruit set. Problems & Solutions Frost can damage foliage […]
Red Dragon Fruit
A tropical climbing cactus with three-sided green stems and edible, red-skinned dragon fruit. Selenicereus undatus typically has white flesh; red-fleshed dragon fruits are usually other species or hybrids. Special Features Edible fruit, spectacular fragrant night-blooming flowers, and aerial roots for climbing. More moisture-loving and less tolerant of desert sun than native desert cacti. Problems & […]
Red Papaya
A fast-growing tropical fruit plant with a soft, usually unbranched trunk, large deeply lobed leaves, and sweet red to orange-red flesh. Red papaya describes flesh color rather than a single cultivar; growing it in Phoenix requires frost protection and careful summer watering. Special Features Edible red-fleshed fruit, bold tropical foliage, and rapid growth. A short-lived […]
Red Guava
A tropical fruiting shrub or small tree grown for fragrant guavas with pink to red flesh, attractive foliage, and peeling bark. Special Features Edible, aromatic red-fleshed fruit; usually self-fruitful; attracts pollinators; attractive exfoliating bark; responds well to pruning. Problems & Solutions Frost-sensitive, especially when young; plant in a warm, sheltered location and cover during freezes. […]
Skinny Yellow Dragonfruit
A tropical climbing cactus grown for spiny yellow fruit with translucent white flesh, black seeds, and exceptionally sweet flavor. Hylocereus megalanthus is now generally classified as Selenicereus megalanthus. Special Features Very sweet edible fruit; spectacular night-blooming flowers; suitable for large containers and vertical training. Less tolerant of Phoenix’s exposed desert conditions than typical landscape cacti. […]
Sri Kembangan Starfruit
Sri Kembangan is a Malaysian starfruit cultivar producing large, sweet, golden-yellow fruit with five ribs that form star-shaped slices. A frost-sensitive tropical tree requiring substantial protection in Phoenix Zone 9b. Special Features Sweet, juicy fruit with attractive star-shaped slices; edible skin and ornamental tropical foliage. Generally self-fruitful, although cross-pollination can improve production. Problems & Solutions […]
Strawberry Tree (Jamaican Cherry / Panama Berry)
Fast-growing tropical tree producing small, sweet red fruit with a strawberry-like flavor. Tolerates heat and drought once established but is frost sensitive; in Zone 9b it defoliates or dies back in freezes. Can self-seed prolifically and is considered weedy in frost-free regions. Special Features Edible fruit attractive to birds; near year-round fruiting in frost-free spots; […]
Taiwan Red Guava
A tropical fruiting shrub or small tree grown for fragrant guavas with pink to red flesh, attractive foliage, and peeling bark. Special Features Edible, aromatic, vitamin C-rich fruit; generally self-fertile; attractive exfoliating bark; suitable for pruning into a compact backyard fruit tree. Problems & Solutions Frost-sensitive, especially when young; plant in a sheltered location and […]
Tamarind
A tropical fruit tree with fine-textured foliage, a broad canopy, and brown pods containing tangy, edible pulp. Tamarind is marginal in Phoenix Zone 9b and requires a warm, frost-protected location. Special Features Edible sweet-tart fruit pulp; delicate, fernlike foliage; attractive shade canopy; strong heat tolerance and drought tolerance once established. Problems & Solutions Freezing temperatures […]
Tropical White Guava
A tropical fruit tree with aromatic, white-fleshed guavas, textured green leaves, and attractive peeling bark. Best grown in a protected Phoenix microclimate because freezing temperatures can damage it. Special Features Edible, fragrant fruit rich in vitamin C; attractive exfoliating bark; generally self-fruitful, although cross-pollination may improve fruit set. Problems & Solutions Frost can damage foliage […]