I have to admit that my favorite fruiting vine is not exotic at all - the grape. Grapes are beautiful and delicious, and if you get an American hybrid they are quite disease and pest resistant.

I also have kiwi vines, the fuzzy kiwi makes a really interesting vine because the young stems and leaves are covered in fuzz too, and depending on the cultivar you get red fuzz that looks really cool when it catches the light. But you have to be patient because kiwis average five years before they will fruit. I also have some hardy kiwis and they aren't nearly as attractive, the leaves are smaller and they lack the fuzz.

I want to get a Maypop (hardy passionfruit) vine but because I've read that they can be very invasive I haven't found the right spot for one yet. But they have beautiful flowers and edible fruit, although I've heard there isn't much pulp in the fruit.

Lastly I will mention Akebia, I have some akebia vines and I love them for their foliage and flowers, but I tasted the fruit for the fist time this year and I don't think I'll be eating any more - slimy and nearly flavorless. There might be better tasting cultivars but if you want a vine that produces yummy fruit I don't think this should be your first choice.

Since you're planting Goji and Acai I think you might be most interested in the fruit with the highest antioxidant value, and I think a purple grape would probably be the one to fit that bill.

Good luck making a decision!

My passion fruit was bleh. Too many seeds. I'm a big fan of grapes too- my favorite fruit in the world is home-grown green seedless grapes.

One of my friends grows hops. I don't know how useful this is if you are not a big beer drinker, though.

Pineapple guava is a good shrub. Pretty and tasty. Do you have one already?

Renee

Thanks peachymomo and Renee.

I don't have pineapple guava yet....it's been on my list though....

I think I'll look into grapes.........

thanks!
----lucia

I'll throw dragon fruit (Hylocereus ___) into the discussion too, even though I haven't grown it. Anyone know of any success stories with this weirdo cactus vine with the delicious fruit? I'm considering it, SoCal seems to be the best place to grow it.

{{gwi:559927}}

Here is a link that might be useful: dragon fruit from cuttings

There is a man up in Oregon who sells cuttings for many different varieties of table grapes that you will not find anywhere else. If you like exotic fruit plants, you may enjoy having grapes you cannot buy in a grocery store. His name is Lon Rombough, and you can find his website by googling his name. Growing grapevines from cuttings is quite easy. He gives directions on his website.

Rosefolly

I don't like Dragon Fruit. I find it bland, mealy, and seedy. It's pretty, though.

Do NOT get a Maypop, you will never get rid of it, and the fruit stretches the meaning of "edible" (paper towels are edible too!) I grew one for the grape-koolaid-scented flowers, which really are heavenly, but the vines grow everywhere, and the roots keep sprouting new ones. Mine grew 30-40 feet into my neighbor's crepe myrtle, in ONE season! I ripped it out 5 years ago, and I still have to clear out suckers every year.

It's not at all what you were looking for, but I vote for Scarlet Runner Beans--the beans are delicious as green beans or dried beans, with beautiful flowers that hummers love, and the vines fill out nicely.

Carla in Sac

I'm growing passion fruit in San Jose and it tastes great, makes nice flowers and grows quickly. I grew scarlet runners as well but they are annuals...

below is a video of my passionfruit

Here is a link that might be useful: San Jose passion fruit

Gorgeous trellis and plant, melikeeatplants.

"I don't like Dragon Fruit. I find it bland, mealy, and seedy. It's pretty, though."

I thought the same, until I tasted a home grown good variety of dragon fruit. Not even close to the crap they sell in most markets.

I have also heard that dragon fruit can be quite good, but my experience is similar to that of hosenemesis. The fruit tasted like nopalitos with the slightest hint of melon (had it been any "slighter" I would have attributed it to my imagination).

Ryan