I'm not in Florida but mine seem to be self fertile. The fruit show up soon after the flowers drop but they take a long time to form a full sized and ripe fruit. Mine usually flower starting in August and the fruit aren't ready until the next spring, sometimes late winter (they are potted and get moved into a hoophouse for the winter). This could be because days are so short during the winter.

If you wanted to hand pollinate I would pick off an entire flower and pinch off its petals to expose everything and then just grind it into all the remaining flowers and hope for the best.

Bumblebees do seem to like the flowers so if you see them you are probably being pollinated.

Up until now I have been growing Solanum guitoense seeds from a variety of sources. None of the fruit tasted very special - not very fruity, kinda bland. I now have true Lulo seeds directly from Colombia so I am hoping for better flavor.

I also think that this whole group of plants is adapted for living closer to the equator where daylength stays pretty constant. Up here in North Carolina they don't flower except early in the spring (they've never set fruit then) and in the fall so I have to overwinter them inside in order to get fruit. I don't think it is temperature related. I think it is because our days are too long during the summer.

Thanks for your response. My seeds are also from Colombia. So I guess I just need to wait more time and see.

I have this plant to and I do nothing to it.I received the seeds in a trade and they germinated easily and bloomed and had fruit.I always grew it in a large pot..

If you ever get a chance to visit Colombia you need to taste the Lulo they have - they are about the size of a tangerine and taste almost the same. A surprisingly different fruit than the standard 'Bed of nails' you find as an ornamental in the states. It could be the environment that makes them special or it could just be the magic of Colombia.

you can pollenate them with a paintbrush. just brush it lightly into the pollen and brush it on the part that sticks out. go from flower to flower. It helps if you make a buzzing noise while you're doing this...lol...usually here in Indiana though our bees do this for us unless its winter in the greenhouse.

I am dreaming of the Good lulos-have achocha seeds to trade for lulos or purple tree tomatoes-is there such a lulo that has smooth dark green leaves?? I can also buy them- thanks a million syl.

please let me know if you have colombiab

please let me know if you have colombian lulo seeds to sell or trade(I have achocha seeds.I lost my tree tomato seeds, have you got a place I cna get purple tree tomato seeds?thanks so much, s.

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