I started a backyard orchard in 2019 and so far I have
Anna apple (2019) (snapped in a hurricane last month)
Dwarf everbearing mulberry (2019)
Goji berry (2019)
Lila avacado (2019)
Joey avocado (2019)
Sweet Pomegranate (2019)
Fuyu Persimmon (2019)
Florida king peach (2019)
Golden Dorsett apple (2020)
Multi graft low chill plum (2020)
Pakistan mulberry (2020)
asian pear (2020)
Florida prince peach (2020)
Susquehanna pawpaw (2020)
Shenandoah pawpaw (2020)
Royal Crimson cherry (2020)
Satsuma orange (this one is 10+years old)
Some are growing fine, some are not.
I want to plant some more trees this winter, but I’m not sure what to add. Does anyone here have any first hand experience with other fruit trees that do well in Louisiana (zone 9a)?
I was thinking maybe add more mulberries or start some blueberries, but I’m not sure on varieties. Chill hours are a big concern for me. Anything 400+ has the chance of not making fruit some years.
Thanks in advance.
You might try figs, avocado, chilean guava, kumquat, jujube, and pluots. Pecans are probably a solid choice. LSU has some fig varieties that are probably well adapted to your climate.
This is a guide released by LSU that gives some nice suggestions:
Blackberries would definitely be a good addition. I’d recommend blueberries and loquat as well. Additional apples might be worth trying too. I don’t believe their quite as picky about chill hours as stone fruit. Applenut has had success with some “high chill” apples in southern Cali.
Bananas. My mom grows bananas in zone 8b in SC. I’m sure whatever variety she has would do fine where you are.
Can pluots handle low chill hours and the humid conditions of the deep south?
Figs do well, but I dont like them very much. Pecans also so do good, but they get far too large for my small yard.
There are some low-chill pluots. Don’t know if they will handle your humidity. If your multigraft plum survives, there is a chance the pluots will as well.
I’ve seen the LSU orchard list before. It was helpful for some things, but questionable for others. It doesn’t mention any mulberries, but I know some varieties can grow here. Also, it lists several blueberry varieties for southern Louisiana, but I found most of those had 500 to 700 chill hour requirements. Those might bear fruit once every 4 years for me.
I plan to replace my anna apple that died. I don’t need to plant a loquot. Those are considered ornamental here and about 2 dozen are in my neighborhood already.
So far, only one of the 4 varieties seems to be thriving.
Do you happen to know the name of that variety. I have seen a lot of bananas planted around here are ornamental. But they spread a lot and I’ve never heard about any of them producing fruit.
AU-Rosa is a hybrid of chickasaw plum and methley that is supposed to be very disease resistant. There are improved chickasaw varieties too.
Orinoco is one of the hardier fruiting types.
Methley in the plum variety that is growing well.
Do you know if that variety spreads?
All musa makes pups, ensente don’t. You can dig out pups with a trench shovel or just keep cutting them down if you don’t want.
Hi Stan,
What part of the state are you in (if you don’t mind saying)? I haven’t lived there in a while but still have relatives in Baton Rouge. They have a number of different rabbiteye varieties that do well (although they probably get slightly more chilling than you do if you’re zone 9A. There are some relatively low chill rabbiteyes that would probably be worth trying.
If you still think you might not get enough chill, Southern highbush varieties would be worth looking into: Early-producing Southern highbush blueberries could unlock new markets
I’m located in 8b in SW MS. I can offer recommendations if I knew where you are located. Been growing fruit trees in this area around 50 years.
She can’t remember what kind. But they have been productive for about 5-6 years now. Smaller fruit…much more citrus flavor than store bought. I really like them.
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What kind of protection do you provide for winter?
I’m a little southwest of baton rouge, right at the top of zone 9A.
I will take a look at the southern highbush varieties. I originally discounted them because LSU’s home orchard guide didn’t have any. Which varieties of rabbiteye do your relatives have have?