Tropical Red Guava
Tropical fruit tree with aromatic foliage, attractive peeling bark, and yellow-skinned guavas with sweet, fragrant pink-to-red flesh. Special Features Edible fruit rich in vitamin C; fragrant flowers attract pollinators. Usually self-fruitful, though cross-pollination can improve fruit set. Problems & Solutions Frost-sensitive, especially when young; plant in a warm, sheltered location and protect during freezes. Extreme […]
Vietnamese Dragon Fruit
A tropical climbing cactus, Selenicereus undatus, with three-sided green stems and red-skinned, white-fleshed dragon fruit. Requires protection from Phoenix’s intense afternoon sun and winter freezes. Special Features Edible white-fleshed fruit with tiny black seeds; spectacular fragrant flowers; well suited to productive container gardens with strong support. Problems & Solutions Intense sun causes stem scorch (provide […]
White Indian Guava
A tropical fruit tree with aromatic, white-fleshed guavas, prominent leaf veins, and attractive peeling bark. Best grown in a warm, protected Phoenix microclimate. Special Features Fragrant, vitamin C-rich fruit with sweet to mildly tart white flesh; attractive bark; generally self-fruitful, although cross-pollination can improve fruit set. Problems & Solutions Frost can damage foliage and young […]
White Dragon Fruit
A tropical climbing cactus with three-sided green stems, spectacular night-blooming flowers, and pink-red fruit containing mildly sweet white flesh speckled with edible black seeds. Special Features Edible white-fleshed fruit, fragrant nocturnal flowers, and dramatic cascading stems. Well suited to supported container culture with protection from Phoenix heat and winter frost. Problems & Solutions Intense sun […]
Winter Mexican Avocado
A Mexican-type avocado grown for rich, creamy fruit, often marketed for winter harvest. In Phoenix, it requires a sheltered microclimate and protection from intense summer heat. Special Features Edible fruit; Mexican-type avocados generally offer greater cold tolerance than tropical avocado types. Cold hardiness does not imply tolerance of Phoenix summer heat. Problems & Solutions Extreme […]
Yellow Lemon Guava
Yellow-fruited strawberry (lemon) guava forming a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with attractive smooth mottled bark. Produces small yellow fruit with sweet, lemon-scented flesh. Hardier than common guava and grows in the low desert with supplemental irrigation and light frost protection when young. Special Features Edible lemon-scented fruit; attractive peeling mottled bark; attracts wildlife; hardier […]
Cogshall Mango
Compact tropical fruit tree producing sweet, nearly fiberless mangoes with yellow skin and a red blush; requires protection from Phoenix frost and intense summer exposure. Special Features Compact mango cultivar with flavorful, low-fiber fruit; suitable for large containers and small gardens. A single tree can produce fruit. Problems & Solutions Frost-sensitive, especially when young; use […]
Papaya Hovey
A frost-tender tropical fruit plant with a slender trunk, large lobed leaves, and edible papayas. ‘Hovey’ cultivar details are not well documented; in Phoenix Zone 9b, grow in a warm, protected microclimate. Special Features Bold tropical foliage, rapid growth, and edible fruit. Fruit production depends on plant sex, pollination, and a sufficiently long frost-free growing […]
Surinam Cherry
A subtropical shrub or small tree with glossy, aromatic leaves and deeply ribbed, edible fruits that ripen red to dark purple; best grown in a sheltered Phoenix microclimate. Special Features Edible, vitamin C-rich fruit for fresh eating and preserves; attractive bronze new growth; flowers attract bees and fruit attracts birds. Fruit flavor varies by cultivar […]