Plant a Fruit Salad: Four Different Fruits Growing on the Same Tree
Grow a fruit salad tree with four different fruits on one tree - no kidding
I have always been obsessed with a fruit salad tree -- a multi-grafted tree that produces four or more different fruits on one tree trunk. The thought always fascinated me and the hybrid tree would make an interesting subject for my garden. First and foremost, I will not need an orchard to produce peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots and worry about what to do with the bushels of fruits. A multi-grafted fruit salad tree is ideal for limited garden space and takes up a fraction of the area. It is also self-pollinating because the flowers bloom at the same time. Imagine the thrill of picking four different fruits off the same tree.
Follow me in my latest adventure in my Spring garden with the introduction of my fruit salad tree.
All photos were taken by Bakerwoman (that's me)
So what really is a fruit salad tree? - It is a multi-grafted tree of several fruits from the same family on one tree
A multi-grafted apple tree can have Anna, Dorsett golden, Fuji, and Gordon on the same tree because these belong to the same family of apples. You can have a 3-in-1 cherry tree, 5-in-1 citrus tree with lemons and key limes, tangelos, pomelos, mandarin oranges or 4-in-1 plum tree with four varieties of plums. But you cannot expect to find a combination of lemon, apple and cherry grafted on the same trunk because these do not belong to the same family of fruits.
I chose a 4-in-1 stonefruit fruit salad tree for my garden. Babcock white peach, Late Santa Rosa plums, Blenheim apricot, and Fantasia nectarines --these colorful labels with pictures of the four stonefruits reassured me that one day soon I will be harvesting these juicy fruits from this tree in one-quarter of the space. The multi-grafted fruit tree is also self-pollinating, which means each type pollinate each other and prolong the harvest season.
Spring - Feb. 12, 2012 - The arrival of the 4-in-1 fruit salad tree
The fruit salad tree did not look like much when this was first planted in my garden. It was about 4 ft. tall with a bunch of leafless multi-grafted branches onto one rootstock. There were four labels with colorful pictures of a specific fruit attached to each branch.This was so I could tell which branch belonged to a certain stonefruit. The biodegradable pot it came in is supposed to fall apart and blend into the soil eventually. This was the ideal sunny location I chose for the stonefruit tree with ample room to grow and expand.
A month later - March 18, 2012 - Still twiggy with some signs of life
Much to my relief, the fruit salad tree is still alive and thriving. Leaves have sprouted from each of the multigrafted branches. Small pink flowers of the Babcock peach have emerged. The other branches did not have any blossoms. The invasive vinca minor groundcover with purplish-blue flowers has worked its way around the pot. Not much has happened in 2012.
There were 3 low-hanging apricots which quickly disappeared within days. I can only imagine who the suspects could be -- the resident raccoon or the rambunctious furry squirrel looking for nuts. The low-lying branch of the apricot close to the ground was then lopped off to keep the tree from becoming lop-sided. Since different fruit trees grow at varying rates, it is important to keep all the branches balanced by pruning them back so one type will not dominate another.
The large pictured labels have been removed and set aside and only the white plastic tags retained for quick identification of the different fruit branches. These are supposed to be removed after a year, but I loosened them up around the branches and decided to keep them longer to avoid confusion.
Apricots, nectarines, plums and peaches on a single trunk - Grow a fruit cocktail tree in your garden and amaze your neighbors
Create an interesting subject in your garden with a 4-in-1 fruit tree. Shipped almost full size, this rare hybrid tree will grow to 10-15 feet and astound your friends and neighbors. It is a space saver for small gardens taking a one-quarter of the space and can be grown in a pot or in the ground. Better still, give one as a gift to Mom on Mother's Day or birthdays. It will be a gift that will keep on giving. Every time your friends or love ones take a bite out a fruit, they will think about you.
Springtime of 2013 - a year later
The fruit salad tree showed more promise with an explosion of beautiful blossoms in the garden. Although these were short-lived, it was a sign of good things to come.
Prunus armeniaca 'Blenheim' apricot flowers - Display of whites with hints of reds
Fantasia nectarine 'Prunus persica nucipersica' flowers - Like the blush of babies' pink cheeks
Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa' plum flowers - Showy fragrant white flowers in Spring
Prunus persica Babcock peach flowers - Beautiful haze of five-petaled blooms
May 2013 - The fruit salad tree came to life - Plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines
The tallest branch of the Bleinheim apricot has reached 6 ft in height above the crown by now. The April showers and my weekly deep watering certainly helped keep this tree healthy and happy. To keep the moisture from evaporating, I applied the unused feline pine pellets over the top of the pot to serve as mulch. Squirrels supposedly detest the pungent smell of pine, so the pine pellets should them from stealing the fruits before these are ripe.
If you stare closely at the photo, you will notice the still green Santa Rosa plums on the left upper branches and Bleinheim apricots on the right upper branches. The two lower branches have the Babcock peach and nectarines.
Let's take a closeup look
Santa Rosa plums - Prolific grower of the bunch
Santa Rosa plums has the signature purplish crimson skin with light freckling when ripe. Harvest time is around late June. Make plum and muscat gelato or plum oatmeal madeira cake.
Babcock white peach - The signature fuzzy outer skin
Babcock peach is a freestone peach and has a snow-white flesh which will easily fall away from the pit when eaten. The peach is sweet when just picked from the tree and non-acidic.These will be ripe for picking around July 7-July 20. Think peach cobbler.
Blenheim (Royal) apricots - Only 17 calories each
Blenheim Royal apricots have been grown in the Santa Clara Valley region of California since the 1900s. Its name traces its roots to the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris and the Bleinheim Palace in England. It is a good choice for a mild climate and has a fragrant aroma and is sweet and tart.
Blenheim apricots ripen from the inside out and take longer to mature than other apricots. These soon-to-be pale-orange apricots are ready for fresh eating around late June. These are great dried or canned, as savory stuffing for duck and pork. Fruit tarts, anyone?
Apricots are high in beta carotene and lycopene, Vitamins A and C. Great for your waistline too with only 17 calories each.
Fantasia nectarine - Late bloomer of the stonefruit quartet
So far, this is the only nectarine that made its debut on the lower branch. It is the late bloomer of the stonefruit quartet. Harvest time will be around late July/early August to the first half of September.
Here's a quick and easy salad recipe for the hot summer days--
Toss sliced fresh nectarine, chopped green onions, fresh mushrooms, fresh dill, dash of salt and pepper, vinegar dressing and serve in lettuce cups.
Come back soon for more updates on the fruit salad tree
Since ripening times are staggered for the peach, apricot, plums and nectarines, I will be posting more pictures as the time comes. Do stop by to see the ripened fruits of this rare hybrid multi-grafted tree.
Safeguarding the unripe fruits until harvest time - Protecting my prized possession - May 9, 2013
To protect the unripe fruits from being poached by predators, I cut strips of aluminum foil and hung them on the branches with Christmas decoration hooks. This may deter the birds who are frightened by the shiny aluminum strips fluttering in the wind, but will this keep the hungry squirrels out? This will remain to be seen.
Fruit salad tree is ablush with rosy cheeks - June 15, 2013 - The waiting game
Here is a progress report on the stonefruit fruit salad tree. The strips of aluminum foil have succeeded in thwarting the birds from pecking the fruits. Half a bag of feline pine donated by my late cat which I used as mulch for the tree kept the squirrels at bay due to its pungent pine odor. A bamboo stake has been added to support one of the Santa Rosa plum branches which appeared to need help. Babcock white peaches have lost their fuzzy skin and have grown bigger with a rosy tinge. The Blenheim Royal apricots are enjoying a heyday of blushing beauties and will most likely be ready for harvesting at the end of June.
Can you identify the different stonefruits on the fruit salad tree from the picture?
Santa Rosa plums are beginning to turn purple - Lost a bunch
This prolific bunch of Santa Rosa plums paid the price of losing 10 plums when one of the branches broke from being weighed down. In a workplace, this would be like reducing the headcount. Even after I added a bamboo stake to support the partly broken branch and taped it with duct tape, Mother Nature decided to downsize our fruit salad tree.
Santa Rosa Plums are ready to harvest late in July. By this time the skin would have tuned purple, gives a bit, and pulls away from the branch with a slight twist. Plums should be picked with the stem attached to them.
Blenheim 'Royal' Apricot - best tasting apricot in California - Short shelf-life but worth the wait
These Blenheim Royal apricots have turned yellowish-orange but still firm to the touch and will likely be ready for picking last week of June to first week of July. These delicate fruit has a high sugar content and make excellent dried fruits.
Today, Royal Blenheim orchards are fewer in Northern California due to the cheaper dried apricots from Turkey which are one-quarter of the cost. This is all the more a good reason for me to wait for this short-lived heirloom apricot to ripen and be enjoyed.
Accounting for the stonefruits
With a tiny multi-grafted stonefruit tree, it is so easy for me to keep track of the number of fruits.
One of the five Babcock white peaches
Lost the one and only nectarine
There have been no new growths of nectarine after the one-and-only nectarine fell off.
What a difference a week makes - Stonefruit fruit salad tree - June 22, 2013
The summery warm weather has been kind to the stonefruit fruit salad tree as the apricots, plums and peach continue to get bigger and turn color. To the left of the tree are the Blenheim apricots, the Santa Rosa plums take center stage, and Babcock white peach can be seen peeking out on the right.There are no nectarines this time after the sole fruit fell off. Maybe next year.
The bamboo stake was added to support a branch of 10 plums but to no avail. The branch broke anyway due to gusty wind. So far the fruit salad tree is performing well and I am most pleased.
Blenheim apricots should be ready for fresh eating in a few more days.
June 23, 2013 - First four apricots to ripen on kitchen counter for a couple of days
Santa Rosa plums showing their true color
June 30, 2013 - First harvest of Blenheim apricots and Santa Rosa plums
The weather has been scorching hot which hastened the ripening of the apricots and plums. These are not your supermarker-sized fruits but look more like miniatures.
June 30, 2013 - Ripe Blenheim apricots and Santa Rosa plums - The hot weather helped hasten the ripening
It looks like the stonefruit fruit salad did not disappoint and delivered some fruits.The Blenheim apricots were jammy sweet and juicy even if these were the size of golf balls.There more of the apricots in the fruit salad tree than Santa Rosa plums . I was only able to pick the plums that readily came off with a slight twist. Babcock peach still has a ways to go.
The good news is that I did not lose any of the fruits to birds, squirrels or raccoons. What a blessing.
Babcock white peach has grown larger with a redder skin and may have to wait a few more weeks.
July 4th harvest - First Babcock white peach ripened
This is a cereal bowl full of Blenheim apricots, Santa Rosa plums and the first Babcock white peach which finally ripened. All the apricots have been harvested from the tree except for a handful of plums which needed more of the hot weather to ripen. It is also the 4th of July and this may be the reason why most of the fruits are declaring their independence from the tree.
The Babcock peach stands out among the rest being the largest fruit and happens to be one of the five fruits in the stonefruit fruit salad tree. There were no nectarines time. Maybe next year.
We have been so blessed to watch the stonefruit fruit salad tree come to fruition bringing us sweet juicy fruits to our table.
Take this quick poll as your opinions counts
Have you ever heard of a fruit salad tree?
How to graft a fruit tree with a variety of fruits - Watch how it is done
Indispensable books on budding,grafting and multi-grafting fruit trees
This book shows you step-by-step instructions on how to graft and bud fruit trees which is now the preferred commercial way of propagation. Introduces the reader to the tools-of-the-trade for budding, grafting and multi-grafting.
Do you think you will be interested in a fruit salad tree? - Thank you for stopping by.
Wow... Amazing, I am so happy you shared this lovely fruit salad tree, thank you.
So cool! I've never heard of a tree like this. Thanks for sharing!
wow are they for real. Great photos by the way
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@Splodgered: @Splodgered, the multi-grafted fruit salad tree is for real. I just hung strips of aluminum foil on the branches to keep the squirrel away. Thanks for the compliment.
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@anonymous: @Loveforlivinglife, the concept of grafting is old but the tree is new. Thanks for visiting.
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@MakeHairBows: @MakHairBows, I am glad you enjoyed reading about my first fruit salad tree. You're welcome.
Oh, I'd love one of these in my yard.
This sounds like a fun tree to plant and grow.
I would really like to do this. Pinned.
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@aka-rms: Bonnie, this would make a perfect Mother's Day present. A unique living gift that keeps giving.
I might have to give this one a try. My father many years ago grafted several different types of apples on the same tree, but I don't think he ever tried a fruit salad tree. Great idea.
Yes! We need to plant some trees, so why not choose a fun one that we can (well, maybe) feast from someday? Love this! Can't wait to see more of the story as the tree and its crop grow and grow!
This is awesome, and what beautiful photos! Great idea for people living in the city or small spaces.
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@OneSavvyMama: Thanks OneSavvyMama. It is indeed an ingenious space saver.
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@SusanDeppner: Susan52, I wait with bated breath to see the ready-to-eat fruits. Thanks for stopping by.
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@pawpaw911: Paypaw911, this sounds like a fabulous gift for Father's Day for yourself. Give it a try.
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@WriterJanis2: WriterJanis, thanks for pinning this. I appreciate your visit.
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@LiteraryMind: LiteraryMind, it is a fun tree to grow. It is a tree that keeps giving.
I LOVE fruits, so I would be SUPER excited about having my own fruit salad tree. This is a SUPERB lena and lens topic, bakerwoman!
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@Heidi Vincent: Like you name suggest FreshStart7, it may be time to grow your own fruit salad tree.
Sure...It is great...I didn't know it and it's fantastic...Thanks for delivering great ideas...
Wow, I had never heard of this cool multi-fruit tree! Fun! I love your photos!
grafting trees is a work of patience, you did a good job here. congrats on the LOTD and Purple star
My husband is a farmer and has told me about this technique many times but I admit I didn't really pay attention. I think I will remember now, though as your lovely pictures made me look.
I wonder if I can grow a mango tree with different varieties of mangoes?
I have never heard of these before! You took beautiful photos and the fruit looks delicious.
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@Corrinna-Johnson: Thanks for the nice compliment CorrinnaJohnson. I take a lot of pictures and delete the bad ones.
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@Rosetta Slone: @Pitaya, I don't see why you cannot grow a multi-grafted mango tree with different varieties as these belong to the same family. Try it and let us know the results.
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@Scarlettohairy: Thanks @scarlettohairy. It is the coolest tree in my garden right now. I'm thrilled.
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@anonymous: Thanks for the kudos, cococute.
All I can say is "Wow! I want one!" Very cool seeing you plant and grow this fruit tree! Wonderful article and a well deserved LOD!
wow, i thought it can only happen in flowers (roses). thanks for sharing :)
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@lgOlson: Thanks SophieOlson. You should look into it. I cannot wait for the first harvest.
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@VineetBhandari: @VineetBhandari, farmers are getting creative and have been experimenting multi-grafting fruit trees for 20 years.
Wonderful lens. Thank you for sharing.
Great, four in one. Too bad, I don't have a garden.
Great lens. I have for the first time see a tree with different fruits. It`s amazing. Hope this not damage the natural course of the nature in the future.
Your lens is beautiful, I learned about unusual fruits that I never saw before. I love the photos you posted. Congratulations on your LOTD
What a tree you have chosen and they all bore fruits, too. I had several trees before in my backyard but I only saw the peach fruits which the squirrels ate and only left me two.
What a tree you have chosen and they all bore fruits, too. I had several trees before in my backyard but I only saw the peach fruits which the squirrels ate and only left me two.
What a tree you have chosen and they all bore fruits, too. I had several trees before in my backyard but I only saw the peach fruits which the squirrels ate and only left me two.
Very informative lens. Thanks allot for sharing this & congratulations for the LOTD!
All I have to say is... Wow! I am so planting this on my garden.
I may be a bit of a fruit cake (just ask my wife) but this looks like a great idea. We are looking into planting some berry bushes and this would be another great addition. Thanks. Also congrats on the LOTD.
It's a terrific idea. I have an apricot and necatrine tree. No fruit though!
Yes! I Love fruit!
I have a small garden so this is a great idea, at the moment I have fruit trees in pots, and they do vary on how successful they are each year, so four in one should guarantee at least one or two fruits doing well each year.
Very interesting, I was surprised that you had so much fruit so soon. It seems like a great tree to plant in a small yard.
I just love this idea. I am wondering if you can have a potted version? Bet you could.. I do want one of these fruit salad trees.
Oh my God, this is amazing. I've never heard of such trees. It's interesting to see different varieties of blossoms on the same tree. It is indeed a fruit salad tree. Gorgeous lens, well done.
I think this is a fantastic idea. I never knew it was possible. Congras on LOTD!
This is a great lens! Thank you for sharing!
My granddad used to graft trees with great success! I wish I had learned this skill from him while he was with us...
I recently planted a multi citrus tree on our patio in a planter. It has lemons, limes and oranges. Looking forward to watching it's progress. Congrats on your LOD-this is a well written lens
Back to say Congratulations! on your well-deserved Garden Club win and Lens of the Day!
Beautiful lens! I think that a Fruit Salad Tree would be a wonderful addition to my small backyard which doubles as my garden. Thanks love the lens.
Very unique article and your photos are beautiful. Congratulations on lens of the day!
I haven't heard about it so far but I think it's an excellent idea!
I haven't heard about it so far but I think it's an excellent idea!
Never heard of this. Thanks for sharing! Congratulations on LotD!
Cool. i just planted my first tree this arbor day. You have given me inspiration for my next one.
Thanks for the info. You convinced me to try growing one. Great Lens.
very nice
very nice
This is a great idea and would save space and add variety in a tiny garden.
Absolutely! Must try this...
Absolutely! Must try this...
I heard about combination trees in South Texas with lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit on the same tree. Marvelous concept.
I heard about combination trees in South Texas with lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit on the same tree. Marvelous concept.
I am quite impressed I had dwarf stock apple trees in England, but had 3 trees of different varieties to achieve pollination. This hybrid of 4 fruits would have been very interesting to me. I now live in Nova Scotia so these fruits would probably not grow here, however I would love to try.
I want one of these fruit trees!
I live in a condo and cannot plant trees but if I could this would be a great choice. Loved seeing your photos - congrats on your LOTD.
I would love to have that tree in my garden! I love stonefruits...
This is great - knew about the citrus but not about the other grafted trees. We will have to find a spot for some! Congratulations on the LOTD
I'd love to try this!
What an amazing idea - I knew nothing about this before. Thank you for sharing this with us and congratulations on winning the competition. Well done!
Wow...I didn't even know these existed! I'd love a multi-fruit tree. Thanks for the info!
Gratz on all your wins. It isn't too hard to do this yourself. I personally have never attempted it but may have to give it a try now. I watched a demonstration of how to do it when I was a Master Gardener. Very nice, informative lens!
Wow! What a great idea! And those flowers are so beautiful! Awesome Lens, and grats on Lens of the Day!
Love your lens! I hope to find room for one of these!
Love your lens! I hope to find room for one of these!
I've wanted some of these trees for some time, but didn't see any good results until yours. I like the combination that is on your tree. Seems I'll have to give it another think over. Congratulations on LotD.
Fabulous photos! Congrats on being the 1st winner in the gardening club, Purple Star and LOTD. Well done!!
Congratulations on winning!
I had no idea this was possible, now of course I really want one! Thanks for sharing and congrats on LOTD!
I just had to come back & say congratulations & so well deserved. A wonderful lens :)
Congratulations on a great lens.
Congratulations on a great lens.
Wow! This is the first time I heard about a fruit salad tree. Hmm.. No wonder you won the 1st ever gardening club quest.. This lens is awesome! :)
Wow! This is the first time I heard about a fruit salad tree. Hmm.. No wonder you won the 1st ever gardening club quest.. This lens is awesome! :)
Well deserved win. Great subject & great "crafting" putting it all together. So much better than my entry!
I'd love to have the 5-in-1 citrus tree!
This is amazing. I've heard of something like this with roses. Didn't know you could with fruits too!
I had no idea about fruit salad trees. That's amazing, I's love to have one.
Congratulations on winning the contest, a Purple Star and all that good fun stuff. :)
Great job, both on the tree and the lens. I live near the arctic, so it would not grow outdoors.Do you think I could grow it indoors?
Yes, looks like this would be a fun project.
Very ingenious and convenient idea. Congratulations on getting LotD!
Very nice lens. I've heard of grafting fruits but it's interesting to know which ones work together and why. That would be real neat to have four or five in one, especially in an area with limited space.
Congratulations on receiving the LOTD. This is a wonderful idea that brings a variety of fruit to any yard. I'm sharing this lens with others. Wish you the best.
Interesting lens with lovely photos! I'd like to give this tree a try as we love fruit. We have indoor citrus trees (lens and website with same name)
Wow, this lens was a year in the making! I am really impressed with it and want to make this for myself. I plan on sharing this on pinterest and bookmarking it for future use! thank you :)
Now this just makes "plum" good sense. Love this lens.
Wow! Kind of weird, but cool. Congrats on the win!
Congrats on LOTD! I really enjoyed the pictures!
This is so neat. I've read about grafting, but only two varieties. I've never seen more than that. This is fascinating. I don't have a yard of my own, but when I do, I WANT TWO of these!
How wondrous to have such a magic tree. I find the whole grafting thing pretty miraculous. Congrats on your features and winning ways. Wishing you many delicious moments in the days and weeks to come.
Congrats on LOTD! I have considered getting a fruit salad tree but decided to go with regular fruit trees instead. Growing persimmons, pears, peaches, apricots, figs, and cherries. Hoping to collect first crop this year :)
Congratulations on this wonderful Lens of the Day, and for winning the Gardening Club challenge! This is incredibly unique - and I had never, ever heard of a tree that could be grafted to grow multiple fruits. Simply amazing! I would really enjoy having a tree like that. I'll have to check and see what's available in our neck of the woods...
Congratulations on this wonderful Lens of the Day, and for winning the Gardening Club challenge! This is incredibly unique - and I had never, ever heard of a tree that could be grafted to grow multiple fruits. Simply amazing! I would really enjoy having a tree like that. I'll have to check and see what's available in our neck of the woods...
Those are some beautiful photos you shot. As soon as I move into my next house I think I'll try one of these. :)
A fantastic idea if you're short of space!
Congrats on LOTD. I think that having a fruit salad tree is an awesome idea for the backyard as it cuts down on space and wasted fruit. I have heard of these grafted trees before but I have never owned one.
Congrats on LOTD. I think that having a fruit salad tree is an awesome idea for the backyard as it cuts down on space and wasted fruit. I have heard of these grafted trees before but I have never owned one.
Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Neat! ;-)
Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Neat! ;-)
Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. Neat! ;-)
I have heard of grafting roses and other plants but have never considered more than one type of fruit on a tree. I may have to try something like this with my lemon tree when it gets a thicker trunk on it! I think this is wonderful and I would love to give one of these to my mother. Great lens!
I live in South Florida and I grafted eight varieties of mango on one tree, because it increases the picking season for my beloved fruit.
I've always wanted one of these! Congrats on your well deserved award, this is a fantastic lens!
this is my first time saw four different fruits growing in the same tree; learn something new today :-) by the way, congratulation on your award :-)
Wow, I never knew that different fruits could grow on one tree - incredible. Thanks for teaching me something new today.
Wish I could. Wrong climate and soil, and we have very little water. I also have a brown thumb. I had heard of grafting, but I hadn't seen such a variety of grafts on one tree. I would love to get a different combination of fruits, since I don't like apricots or plums. Also, I'd rather have a key lime-lemon-tangerine tree. Mango sounds really nice, too. This is a great lens!
Awesome lens in the midst of much confusion. You displayed beautiful photographs and taught us about an interesting subject and I wish you the best in harvesting your fruit salad. Congrats on LOTD!
Congratulations on LOTD! Definitely in a fruit salad tree. Nothing like home grown fruit.
Wow! Fascinating lens! I never knew grafting could be so easy. I've got to try it sometime!
Congrats on Lens of the day! Well done. Love your lens. Very informative and great photos & resources.
Lens of the Day congratulations. Love your detailed info on growing a fruit salad tree. thanks for the resources and photos. Great shots.
LOTD congratulations. Love your images and detailed instructions for creating a fruit salad tree garden.
Congratulations on LOTD! Wish I could have fruit trees, we have too much shade...Great informative lens.
We had one and the fruit salad trees are really neat; especially when you tell the kids it is "magic" You are really going to enjoy your four-fruit tree and fruits harvested all summer long. The many culinary dishes you can make from the different fruits is amazing and delicious. Congrats on you getting a P.S. and LotD. Have a Great Day!
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@Dusty2 LM: Thanks Dusty2, I will be looking forward to summer and the first harvest.
I have never heard of such a think but think its fabulous! Congratulations on such a great article! =)
Interesting.
I have heard of this and seen pictures in catalogs but never actually seen one a person got to thrive at home. Too cool!
test please ignore
Yes! We tried to grow a 4-in-1 apple tree, with four varieties of apples. Poor thing didn't make it, though. I think we put it in the ground (surrounded by grass - eek!) too soon. The baby tree probably needed more time in the pot.
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@Jimna1: @Jimna1, our 4-in-1 stonefruit fruit salad tree came in a pot that was supposed to be planted in the ground. In time, the pot will fall apart and blend into the soil. Sorry about your 4-in-1 apple tree, it may have been too young to be put in the ground.
You have a great lens! What a beautiful tree! God Bless.
I never knew that a fruit salad tree was possible. How cool! Your photos are terrific. Your LotD is certainly well-deserved!
Congrats for your LOTD! You deserve it :)
Awesome lens!! I wonder if fruit salad trees can grow in tropical climate. Would love to try growing this at home.
This was so fun to read! I dream of growing my own fruits and veggies one day. I don't have enough space or sun right now, but someday I'm gonna be a one-woman farmer's market. :) I never knew about these trees! I can't wait to learn more about them. I'll be checking back to see your tree's growth, for sure.
What a cool tree. I'd love one!
Very cool! Congratulations on LOTD ~ wonderful info ~ never heard of it! And how cool to have the different blooms ~ Thanks for the great info! B : )
Congrats on Lens of the day! Great tips here. My great grandfather grafted apple trees to get a specific type of apple. It literally took him his entire life to get it completed. I like your shorter wait time ideas! Thanks for posting!
My gawd. What will they think of next? LOL Seriously, what a great idea and what a great lens you have made. Congrats on LOTD
Awesome piece of information , or technology , shall I say ? Thanks .
Congrats on LOTD! Very cool tree and photos of its progression.
Highly informative lens , a gardening lover's delight .
I like the way you showed your sweet tree over time. It will no doubt be more amazing each year. Thank you for sharing!
Lovely Lens! I had not heard of the Fruit Salad Tree before, so awesome:) Congrats on your LOTD and thank you for sharing!
This is a first for me. I would love to grow a fruit salad tree. Congratulations on your LOTD.
This is a first for me. I would love to grow a fruit salad tree. Congratulations on your LOTD.
Hmm iteresting .
EVEN I LOVE GARDENING AND SPACE THING IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE. NOW YOU HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THANKS
Very cool idea. Now I have to figure out how to keep the deer from eating the tender shoots. I'm sure there's another squidoo lens that can help with that.
I love your lens, the story, the photos, very well done! thanks for sharing your passion!
nice lens, congratulations, thank you for all the info
Congratulations on your great lens! I didn't think a tree would produce in it's second year (my 2 year plum tree hasn't done anything!)
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@NekoIchi: AuntieBeannie, this is my first experience with a multi-grafted fruit tree. I am only grateful that the fruit salad tree is producing fruits on its second year. What a blessing.
Thanks for an interesting lens. I have looked at a fruit salad tree a number of times but so far not made the move. Have used individual citrus species with a grafted rootstock and they have worked well. het is more robust and the fruit is better. Keep up the good work
A tree with 4 types of fruit, what a great concept and a very interesting article.
I have a townhouse with a patio but no yard to plant a tree in.
Can a small tree like this survive in a large pot?
Maybe I will plant a "potato salad" tree instead. ha
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@anonymous: Jimbo Yosemite, you can keep a fruit salad tree potted in your patio. Some of these are dwarf multi-grafted trees and will not get very tall.
First time ever I hear about a "fruit salad tree ".
I would love to get one for my backyard.
Hi Bakerwoman, you are awesome! Very creative and enterprising I say. I am an avid gardener myself. I have been seriously (but fun-loving all the way) experimenting and expanding my knowledge and space (my garden) with a host of edibles and flowers to enjoy. I have 2 fruit salad trees. When I purchase another battery for my digital camera, I am gonna to upload pics and show you all what is going on with my trees. Yes, I have had these trees for 3 years now and one of them-due to early freeze and sudden storms-have just nectarines (2) and 1 peach on it. It bloomed like the dickens but I am only left with just 3 fruit and many many leaves...The second one, is bearing 3 separate fruit types as you will see when I upload the pics. It has about 5 nectarines, 7 peaches, and 2 apricots. The only one not bearing fruit yet, is the plum graft and I think because it is still young yet. I tried to find out exactly what kind (brand name) of fruit were on this tree but the info was not available. I bought both trees from the Home Depot back in 2010. They are doing great and they both fruited the first year that I had them. The funny thing was, I was not even interested in purchasing fruit trees I just wanted to grow veggies but the Home Depot sales person persuaded and assured me that I would have fruit the same year if I purchased the tree. I took her up on her word and bought the tree. It did so well that I came back in the fall and bought another one and I tell you, I would not trade them for anything! The first fruit I ate was an apricot and it tasted like fruit straight from heaven. I could go on and on about these trees. They are easy enough to take care of, the only thing is that you have to keep the branches at an even height so that no one branch will outgrow and take over the tree due to aggressiveness. If you find that your plum branches are getting too long way beyond your other fruit types, prune that sucker immediately! LOL. Also, as far as fertilizing went, in the fall I made compost tea and watered around the circle of the tree and in early spring I used 10-10-10 fertilizer. I sprayed the tree quarterly with neem oil (home depot) concentrate-(1 cap neem oil to a gallon of water) and sprayed it every 7 days just to make sure no insects made a home in the tree. I also alternated with organic insecticide (dish washing liquid and water and a little vinegar) and sprayed every so often. Wallah!!! Fruit from heaven, just simply awesome. Sorry, this post is so long but I get excited in the garden and the fruit cocktail tree is the best thing since peanut butter and jelly! Keep up the awesome work bakerwoman!
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@anonymous: Thanks gardenannie56 for sharing your experience with your 2 fruit salad trees. I have never sprayed mine with neem oil or dishwashing liquid to keep the bugs out, but I will definitely keep this in mind. I cannot wait to bite into one of them. Truly appreciate your feedback and visit.
Bakerwoman: I own one of these trees. I have it for about 5 years. This is the first year it has produced flowers. But I have gotten no fruit. Flowers fell. It was so disappointing. The flowers were pink, so pretty. Is this a self pollinating tree? i don't know what I did wrong. Would you give me some advice?
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@poutine: poutine, it will be a welcome addition to your yard and a wonderful conversation piece.
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@capulonix: capulonix, I am thinking of getting the multi-grafted citrus tree with lemon and lime because I use these a lot for baking and cooking. The stonefruit tree should be your next garden addition. You will not be disappointed.
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@anonymous: orchid77, fruit salad trees are self-pollinating. You will need flowers to see fruits. The flowers on my fruit salad tree were only there for two weeks. It came in a biodegradable pot which was planted in the ground in its entirety. This will fall apart eventually. I live in Northern California and the weather is perfect for these multi-grafted trees. The tree gets a lot of sunlight where it is planted. This may be the reason why my first fruit salad tree bore fruits.
I had not heard about these multigrafted trees before, such a great idea. I'd love to have one but in Ireland we can barely ripen an apple, let alone anything more exotic! Much of our fruit is imported. Terrific lens, well done!
I knew such things can be done with mango and rose but not with others. Your steps were really helpful to me. I have done the same with a rose plant that know bears multiple color flower.. Thanks for sharing
Back to check your harvest. It's beautiful! I really do need to try one of these.
What a cool idea! I've never heard of a tree that did this! I shared your lens on our G+ page today!
Awesome -fruit-salad-tree, I must it's a magical tree.
(Also shared on Facebook :)
~Blessings
*GEM*
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