Well, one of the various citruses immediately comes to mind. Avocado would also be interesting.

Look around your neighborhood and see if you can spot something that is really doing well that you like. If it grows well nearby, there's a very good chance that it will do well in your yard too.

Fruit trees will mess up anything parked under them. You can bet on it!!

In zone 10 take your pick...except for cherries and apples. How about guava, mango, peaches, avocado, citrus, papaya ( although somewhat short-lived)...the list goes on and on. Even a tropical apple or tropical cherry.

My grandparents live in your neck of the woods, and they have a carambola tree (starfruit), good to hear you didn't get more damage than that! Good luck

Thanks so much.

I am considering a magnolia. any thoughts on whats good for zone 10?

Michelle

I'm not sure how well Magnolias do down in S. Florida. I have seen magnificent specimens all the way from Orlando in the South, to Washington, DC on the North, but too much beyond these areas is out of its natural habitat. I've never seen them in Miami or Ft. Meyers but haven't been looking...and my eyes always get sidetracked by coconut palms and mango trees anyway. :)

There are some magnolias as far south as miami but they aren't as pretty as the ones up-state!
I also like carambolas (blooming right now) and fruits are tasty - also easy to clean up if they drop on ground. Stay away from ficus (invasive roots) royal poinciana (also has invasive roots that damage driveways and foundations)... poinciana flowers are beautiful but also very messy. Oak trees and mahoganys grow very fast and provide shade in summer drop leaves in late fall. Yellow tababuias (excuse spelling) are nice but no shade..The jacarandas are pretty but slow growing, the apple blossom cassia (cassia javanica) is awesome in my book.

One thing for sure you DON'T WANT A LONG LEAF PINE. Ivan had a field day in our park. All those nice old trees are laing on everyones houses.

mkesq - where in south florida are you? I have some free silk floss tree seedlings (3 feet tall) for you if interested - fast growing and beautiful flowers, but I really can't mail because of size. lmk

OH silk floss trees are gorgeous..and they grow well even up here in orlando. That's a good choice...me personally if I lived in south florida I would probably grow a big mango (even though I already have one) tree...if you dont' want big get a carambola tree they have beautiful foliage, flowers, and delicious fruit...they grow 25 feet max and spread out about that much...of course you can prune. I don't think you can buy citrus in south florida at this time...I believe there is a canker quarantine there meaning that you cannot buy or plant any additional citrus in south florida...plus they're not as great as people think they are. Other options for you are sapodilla, papaya, jaboticaba, custard apple, pond apple, poinciana, cassia, or banyan trees.

Nobody suggested plumeria?

There is a type of magnolia that does very well in South Florida. We have them in larger sizes.

As for tropical fruit treesÂ. There are many- the standards, of course- mango, avocado, citrus, etc. Some more cold hardy then others. I am in zone 10 but occasionally it freezes so I have to cover trees, especially young newly planted trees.

DonÂt plant trees too close to the house or driveway. Not only because of the fruit but the roots. A good distance is 20 feet for most trees.

Michelia Champaca Alba is a fabulous flowering tree as well as ylang-ylang.

Jaboticaba is an elegant tree, really pretty and the fruit grows on the trunk and branches. I love this tree. They are slow growing, need plenty of water and may not fruit for 4 years (grafted or air-layered trees).

You have so many choices. My taste tend to go more towards the exotic.

Hello ,
Read that someone might have yellow Jaboticaba seed and wonder If you would consider parting with a few seeds
Ursula
culejools@yahoo.ca