Growing your own fruit at home could be a fun and rewarding endeavor. Various types of fruit trees grow well in a home orchard, including many exotic varieties of fruits that are uncommon for both orange colour and their intriguing, furry outside. These include loquat, rambutan, naranjilla and jaboticaba trees, all of intriguing trees that are relatively simple to develop.
Loquat Tree
The loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica), sometimes referred to as the Japanese plum, grows to a height of approximately 20 feet, with 10-inch-long shiny green leaves and incredibly fragrant white blooms that appear late in the fall. Loquats follow the flowers, appearing in clusters of up to 30 fruits. Every fruit is orange, occasionally with a red blush, and approximately 2 inches long, with a outer, fluffy or downy rind. The fruit ranges from candy to marginally acid in flavor, depending on the variety. A native tree in China and Japan, the loquat is most suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 7 through 10.
Rambutan Tree
The rambutan tree (Nephelium lappaceum) is just a semi-tropical tree, suitable for USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. A massive tree, it may reach a height of 50 to 80 feet, with a single 2-foot-wide trunk and a spreading crown. The rambutan is native to parts of Southeast Asia and favors warm, humid areas with regular rainfall, even though it can withstand dry spells that aren’t prolonged. The tree has little flowers that lack petals and fruits that are oval in shape and orange or orange-pink, based on the number. Its fruits, known as rambutans or hairy lychees, are covered with a thin, leathery rind that has many soft, fleshy hairs. Rambutan fruit is hot, sweet but slightly acid, and surrounds a single seed.
Jacoticaba Tree
The jacoticaba tree (Myrciaria glazioviana), also referred to as the cabelluda tree, is native to Brazil, where it grows as a small, bushy tree approximately 10 or 20 feet tall. It has multiple thin trunks and pendulous branches covered with lime-green leaves. Its uncommon flowers have white petals that are frilly and slender, followed by yellow-orange fruits about 1 inch in diameter with a fuzzy exterior. The fruits are sweet, with a tangy flavor reminiscent of pineapple. Jacoticaba trees require moist, fertile soil and make the most fruit in sunlight. They can withstand temperatures down to approximately 30 degrees Fahrenheit for brief periods and are suitable for growing in USDA zones 9 through 11.
Naranjilla Tree
The naranjilla tree (Solanum quitoense) is just a small spreading tree with a shrub-like growth habit and leaves that are up to 2 feet long and 1 1/2 feet broad. Its fragrant flowers display petals that are white with purple undersides plus it creates orange, hairy fruits that are approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Naranjilla fruits contain four compartments full of greenish yellow, juicy pulp with a lemony but sweet flavor. A South American native, the tree is most productive when young, with fruit production diminishing after about 7 decades. It prefers moist locations in semi-shade and requires frequent fertilizing to preserve its growth. It can develop in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11.