Large Fruit Trees

Cainito (Chrysophyllum cainito) The cainito is a very attractive Central American fruit tree with leaves glossy green above and silky copper bronze underneath. The purple or green skinned fruits with white pulp are sweet and delicious with the texture of soft persimmons.Haitian and Lila are varieties with large purple fruits. Philippine Gold is a rusty green skinned selection from the Philippines. Trees will tolerate some wind and flooding conditions.

Kasturi (Mangifera casturi)
This relative of the mango from southern Kalimantan has small purple-black mango like fruits with very sweet, excellent flavored dark orange pulp. The trees are native to the wet climate area around Banjarmasin, Indonesia. Trees grown at our Waimanalo farm are very productive and do not seem to suffer from anthracnose fungus problems as the mangoes do. Fruits are similar to a very richly flavored mango; however, the fruits are small with short fibers near the seed.

Longan (Euphoria longana)

A relative of the lychee, the longan is a popular fruit with the Chinese and Southeast Asian population in Hawaii.While the longan tree is similar to the lychee in its ornamental appearance, the longan seems to tolerate the wind better than the lychee. The yellow brown fruits are produced in clusters during the fall months after the lychee season. The white,translucent flesh is somewhat sweeter and spicier in flavor when compared to the lychee. The Kohala variety with large, sweet, good flavored fruits has been commonly grown in Hawaii for many years, however, the trees have been eratic bearers. Longans and lychees are normally subtropical in their climatic requirement and fruit better in areas with cool dry winters and warm humid summers. More recently, varieties from Thailand have been introduced and have produced high quality fruits regularly. Chompoo, Bai Dum, and Biew Kiew are three Thai varieties recommended for Hawaii.

Mamey Sapote (Pouteria sapota) The mamey sapote is a fruit tree in the Sapotaceae family from Central America, where the fruits are eaten fresh or made into ice creams and milk shakes. The trees are attractive with leaves clustered at the branch terminals and fruits borne directly from the branches below the leaf clusters. The oval shaped , brown fruit has a sweet, rich, orange red pulp which is delicious as well as nutritious. The fruit contains protein and is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and niacin. Magana, a cultivar originally from El Salvador, has large, salmon red fleshed fruits which grow on low branching, sprawling trees. Pantin, a selection from Florida, has smaller red fleshed fruits which grow on upright trees. Trees require wind protection and good drainage.

Mammee Apple (Maremeg americana)

The mammee apple, a relative of the mangosteen, is an attractive fruit tree from tropical America with thick, glossy, green leaves. The round, brown skinned fruit has a yellow-orange, firm textured flesh with an apricot-mango flavor. Fruits can be eaten fresh, stewed, or made into preserves or jellies. The fruits are preceded by attractive, white, fragrant flowers. Waimanalo is a selection with large, good quality fruits.Trees are adaptable to various soils and climates in Hawaii.

Mango (Mangifera indica)
The mango is another popularly grown home garden fruit tree for the warm, drier parts of the islands. Trees grow in a wide range of soil types and are drought tolerant. While Haden and Pirie continue to be popular varieites in Hawaii, other varieties have been introduced or developed by the University of Hawaii that produce better quality fruits more regularly. The Gouveia mango is a sweet, juicy, richly flavored mango that requires a warm, dry area for the development of its high quality, attractively colored fruits. The Rapoza mango is an Irwin mango seedling selection developed by the University of Hawaii that has a very fine textured fiberless pulp with a sweet delicate flavor. The Rapoza and are anthracnose resistant varieties that can be grown in relatively humid areas. The Brahm Kai Mea is Thai variety. The Brahm can be eaten green or ripe and is delicious when eaten either way.

Marang (Artocarpus odoratissima)

The marang is a relative of the breadfruit from southern Philippines and Borneo. The ornamental trees have large entire or trilobed leaves. The snowy white pulp around the seeds has an excellent flavor that is sweet, juicy, and aromatic with a melting texture. Trees prefer warm, humid tropical climates.

Matisia (Matisia cordata) The Matisia, sometimes called South American Sapote, with large round leaves comes from the Amazon Basin. The orange fleshed fruits tasting like cantaloupe and mango are borne directly from the tree branches. Ripeness is determined by the appearance of a yellow ring below the stem cap. The Dulce is a Frankie's Nursery selection with sweet fruits.

This large ornamental fruit tree from the Asiatic tropics is grown commercially in Thailand and in the Philippines. Fruits are nearly round, 3 inches in diameter, turning yellow-orange upon ripening. The segments of soft, white pulp cling tenaciously to the seeds. One would normally eat the fruit by sucking the pleasant thirst quenching flavor of the pulp, which has a delicate blend of sweetness and acidity, from the seed. The Bangkok and Pui Fah santol are Asian cultivars with large fruits and trifoliate leaves that turn an autumn like red before shedding. Trees grow vigorously and are quite adaptable to our Hawaiian climates.

Seed segments in opened santol fruit

Immature fruits

The rind is also edible, and often pickled.

Medium Fruit Trees
Small Fruit Trees
Flowering Ornamentals
Other Plants
Homepage