I’d really like to try one of these fruit trees. They’re ridiculously expensive online (eBay which I question) if you can find them and the information seems all scrambled. I see people selling seeds and seedlings which I want neither of if I can’t get known variety scions to graft onto. Can you graft a male onto a female tree for pollination?
I know one guy that grows quite a few but he’s not offering any sources and all his trees are in ground. Does anyone offer these trees in the US? I can buy many tropical fruit trees even local but not these. If they’re that good why aren’t people selling trees?
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last year i participated in a group import and i successfully killed all the trees that i bought. a few weeks ago i connected with a local guy and he offered me scions of 3 named varieties. i grafted them onto myrica cerifera rootstock. hopefully they will take. i gave him some seedlings of parmentiera cereifera.
the more money that yangmeis sell for on ebay, the greater the incentive for more people to propagate and sell them.
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Really Good Plants is run by Marta Matvienko in Davis, California. Marta is a geneticist and lifelong gardener. Our mission is to make uncommon fruiting plants available to gardeners.
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Oh I missed that thanks Kris. Looks good and grafted is supposed to be the best to keep in containers from what I’ve read. I did ask Marta after I saw this site link her name and blog on their website but didn’t see that part on the Yangmei. These are for small seedlings I think so I wasn’t very interested in them. Wildlandplants
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@Marta @Gkight @epiphyte Hoping you can help me out here. I am told they prefer a very low ph soil. 4.5-5.5 optimal. Is this your findings?
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I’m waiting for scionwood to become more available. It will happen.
Right now Calmei appears to be trying to prevent distribution. It will backfire. People that played the hoarding game with figs lost.
You can graft to Myrica Californica which is native to our area. PH is not that relevant when you have native rootstock that thrives.
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Thanks Ram! That makes sense. My tree is grafted onto a male Yangmei seedling. I might try to graft onto one of those as well. Such slow growers to produce though.
these have always tasted nasty to me. I’ve wondered why people grow it
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You can wait for Marta, she sells scions of male and female yangmei. Just use any of the myrcia rootstocks ( cerifera, californica, Pennsylvania ).
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For you die hards that would like to buy the grafted plant, we are having another group buy now, go check out the TFF. Orders will ship in Feb 2025.
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I’m not sure, they grow fine in my yard. I don’t believe I ever reach such low pH
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Marta, you just know how to grow trees.,
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Also I assume Marta, that your trees are grafted to a non rubra rootstock?
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Pennsylvania
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I’m not qualified to give a real answer. But mine is in regular organic garden soil growing slowly from dormancy.
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I saw this madness with figs a few years ago.
Varieties like i258 sold for $1500 on eBay.
Cessac I believe sold for over $2000. Too many other examples of highly inflated prices.
With a little patience all this will come down to fair prices.
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What’s really nice is that yangmei looks to be graft compatible with all the common North American species of Myrica, so almost everyone should have rootstock already adapted to their area.
I imagine that on southern max myrtle rootstock in particular it’ll get plenty big at a good pace, but most Myrica have decent vigor, so scion wood ought to be fairly available here in a few years.
Do we know yet how cold hardy is actually is? I’ve seen a really wide range of guesses.
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The south east may have ideal conditions for yangmei.
You get summer rain, have high humidity, and winters are about 8B-9a. Same as Hangzhou.
By comparison Hangzhou city - which is located in prime yangmei growing conditions has this climate.
| Month | Average High Temperature |
|---|---|
| January | 48°F (9°C) |
| February | 52°F (11°C) |
| March | 61°F (16°C) |
| April | 72°F (22°C) |
| May | 81°F (27°C) |
| June | 85°F (29°C) |
| July | 94°F (34°C) |
| August | 92°F (33°C) |
| September | 84°F (29°C) |
| October | 75°F (24°C) |
| November | 64°F (18°C) |
| December | 53°F (12°C) |
Summer Temperatures:
During the summer months (June to August), Hangzhou experiences hot and humid conditions:
- June: Average high of 85°F (29°C) and low of 71°F (22°C).
- July: Average high of 94°F (34°C) and low of 78°F (26°C).
- August: Average high of 92°F (33°C) and low of 78°F (26°C).
The hottest month is typically July, with average high temperatures around 94°F (34°C). The highest temperature ever recorded in Hangzhou was 41.9°C (107.4°F) on August 3, 2024.
Summers are characterized by high humidity and significant rainfall, with June being particularly wet due to the East Asian monsoon. Typhoons can also affect the region from late summer into early autumn, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
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Melon, You sure it was a Strawberry Tree you tried? The look just like it. 
They’re supposed to be very good but there’s quite a few different cultivars. I got one called Biqi its super sweet purple color. If you like sweet and tart, figs, poms, pluots, berries maybe give these another shot.
@Marta thanks so much! I think I’ve read somewhere that you graft yours onto M. Pensylvanica. Or do you graft onto seedlings?
@george Thanks! I have talked to Marta previously but she was out. I grabbed a small grafted tree today from a friend. Hopefully it survives the up potting with better soil. It appears to be in heavy clayish ground soil with bad drainage now,
@Gkight was yours grafted? Bareroot?
@a_Vivaldi Not sure but I saw Ben from Seattle growing it in a video. He did keep in a greenhouse if i can remember correctly.
@ramv Great info thanks. Do you by chance grow Yangmei as well?
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I don’t grow yangmei yet but i am researching the heck out of it prior to taking the plunge.
Ben is a friend of mine and I checked with him recently. His tree is still surviving in the greenhouse but I believe the male died.
He is not impressed with the flavor. Atleast of the variety he is growing.
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