I am experimenting with subtropicals lately in not so ideal zone.
Pomegranates are surprisingly hardy and I get diebacks only on 1 year old wood. The minimum temperature I got here since I am growing them was about 3F.
My 3 year old feijoas died in 2016/17 (I had a thread here about them) but trying again and they bloomed for the 1st time last year.
Figs are definitely less hardy than pomegranates by at least several degrees.
Now the big surprises of this season. We have really mild winter, the lowest temperature was about 18F.
My loquats that I got back in 2014 or so from Jaime Sacadura (too bad he is not visiting anymore, anyway thanks Jaime, will never forget!) are doing great, even 1 year old plant survived 8F and in the later years they fared through even worse. Now they are decent plants. One is Tanaka from a sucker from Jaime’s mother plant and other one is grafted but unknown variety that was sold only as “nispero”. I don’t know if it’s a varietal trait but the grafted one loses most of it leaves around March when it gets warmer, the other variety stays green year round.
Now why am I writing this…I would have never thought but I might get first fruit this year in 7A/B. The flowers are definitely alive and started to open just now after the winter (survived 18F)!
Now something I wasn’t expecting at all. My Eugenia Involucrata (Cherry of the Rio Grande) that almost died in cold storage (lack of water) last winter and was planted outside in a spot protected from wind survived 18F as well, just minor leaf damage. I will be protecting it by styrofoam next year on, it would be a shame to lose it. But yes, it mamaged to handle 18F twice this year
Biggest disappointments (although expected) were Grimal jaboticaba and Ruby Supreme Guava.
Grimal’s leaves were partially damaged but thought it would do better, plant was under a pool closure (the minimum there was about 25F). Guava (not really subtropical) was suffering already in November when the temperature got lower, leaves were turning purple. Even 25F did a lot of damage to the leaves and tips died (I got rid of it already). Other potted fruits like Suebelle sapote, Smathers wooly sapote survived surprisingly well even though I grafted them just around last May
Himalayan evergreen dogwood (cornus capitata) is doing quite well with about half of it foliage turning brown but I imagine it will perform better once well established (this one comes from @Carld, than you!)
Psidium cattleianum unfazed by 18F (but was sheltered by styrofoam…no heating though). Same goes for Miho Satsuma
Hello Paul! In your location you should try jaboticaba de cabinho (plinia trunciflora). It’s the most cold hardy jaboticaba variety…
From other citrus plants that experienced no damage: Citsuma Prague, Citrange Morton, Meiwa and Marumi kumquats). Australian microcitrus (Sydney hybrid), Thomasville and few others just minor damage but that’s because they are only 2 years old since I grafted them. The worst performer so far is US119
Hi Luis, thanks a lot for the tip, I will give that one a try. I will buy one right after the winter is over.
I am also planning to buy Murta de Santa Catarina which is very little known Eugenia but is supposedly native to the same area as feijoa so should be really hardy. Cannot wait
Hello my friend. Please don’t forget that they allways nead a good protection. Jaboticaba trucifolia just have one problem, she takes a lot to fruit. I have one adult j. trucifolia that didn’t fruit yet.
So I heard, the red hybrid and sabara should fruit fast but not sure about it’s cold hardiness.
I am still looking for Pringle sapote (casimiroa pringlei or gregii too). Both should be very hardy and could actually survive in zone 7. This year I am planting this pear shaped psidium, picture is not mine
By the way you should try sete capotes, it’s the most cold hardy of sub-tropicals! Like feijoa or even colder! Lovely flowers, fruits abundantly and very early…
Sete Capote ou Araçá do Mato - Campomanesia guazumifolia - YouTube
Sete capotes (campomanesia guazumifolia) floreciendo - YouTube
great, I know you have been growing this but it has unappealing look so I did not think it might be tasty.
Ideally I am looking for plants that can handle -8C and can ripen in my short season. That’s a must and reason why I am not trying other citrus trees than satsumas (I am not counting the poncirus hybrids).
Will check cete capotes tomorrow, thanks
Well it’s not the most yummy fruits but in Brazil they use it to jams and ice-creams. She don’t loose leaves and allways look pretty… it’s just a tip… 
How did you find out about it’s cold hardiness? And how long does it take to ripen (when does it ripen for you in Portugal)? Cause if October or later in your area I got no chance…
Because i have it for long time. I have a big tree with no protection. She is very resistant.
She is free flowering and can fruit any time. I can get fruits from January to December.
Yeah but your climate is different animal, what’s considered cold hardy for you, here people would call tropicals haha. If you think it can handle at least -6 but preferably -8 I would be really interested. But I doubt that since it’s native range is Brasil.
Well i just know feijoa, sete capotes and psidium longipetiolatum. This ones are the coldest i know.
This topic is older and I read about other „Myrtaceae“ and cold hardiness in this forum.
I wonder which other Myrtaceae with fruit quality are cold hardy except Feijoas (my had no problem with 5F).
The Eugenia Murta de Santa Catarina sounds promising.
My Ugnis didn’t survive the winter.
Some reports say luma apiculata is relatively cold hardy and tastes like Ugnis
Zone 7 is considered subtropic. To the north of it is considered subarctic.
I am sure there are other subtropicals that could handle our temperate zone.
Luma apiculata is a good candidate, maybe chequen too ( don’t grow them but might try). Common myrtle maybe?