19 May 2010

Salt Tolerance of Various Tropical and Sub-tropical Fruit, Nut and Spice/Herb Trees: Putting the Right Plants in the Right Locations

www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com


Often times in conversation the topic of gardening under saline conditions comes up.  This is especially important to home-owners in Cayman where not only can our soils and ground water be salty but on-shore winds bring salt spray as well. 

Further complications such as salt water intrusion during hurricanes, the dry season and at very high tides can make the more determined gardeners throw up their hands in despair.  Whilst there are things that can be done to reduce this threat such as growing natural windbreaks, utilising raised beds and adding soil amendments like compost and gypsum, it's best to choose the right plants for the right locations from the get-go.

Below is a salt tolerance listing that ranks various plants on a scale of 'Good to Poor'.  This listing may be used as a guide but please bear in mind that it is 'work-in-progress' and your own experiences with your unique growing conditions needs to be considered at the same time.

Good
Carissa (Natal Plum)
Coconut
Coco-plum
Date Palm
Sea-grape
Tamarind
Tropical Almond (Indian Sea Almond)

Moderate
Ackee
Breadfruit
Bignay (Antidesma)
Black Sapote (Chocolate Pudding Fruit)
Egg Fruit (Canistel)
Fig
Governor's Plum
Guava
Guinep (Mamoncillo)
Imbe
Indian Jujube (Ju Plum, Downs, Dunks)
Jackfruit
Java Apple (Wax Jambu)
Java Plum (Jambolan)
Jelly Palm
Key Lime (West Indian)
Loquat
Mayan Breadnut
Monstera
Pineapple Guava (Feijoa)
Pomegranate
Prickly Pear
Pummelo
Red Cattley/ Strawberry Guava
Red Plum (Purple Mombin)
Rose Apple
Rosemary
Sapodilla (Naseberry)
Tangerine/Mandarin
Yellow Plum

Fair
Apple
Atemoya
Barbados Cherry (Acerola Cherry)
Bay Rum
Bay Leaf
Bilimbi
Biriba (Rollinia)
Cacao (Chocolate)
Chella Mella (Jimbilin)
Cherimoya
Cherry of the Rio Grande
Citrus (rootstock dependent)
Coffee
Custard Apple
Curry Leaf
Grumichama
Illama
Imbe
Kei Apple
Kumquat
Kwai Muk
Mamey Sapote
Miracle Fruit
Mulberry
Persimmon
Pineapple
Pimento
Pitomba
Sorrel (Roselle)
Soursop
Sugarcane
Sweetsop (Sugar Apple)
Surinam Cherry (Pitanga)
Wampi
White Sapote

Poor
Avocado
Banana
Blueberry
Botler
Cashew
Jaboticaba
June Plum (Golden Apple, Pommecythere)
Longan
Lychee
Macadamia Nut
Mango
Muscadine Grape
Nectarine
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach
Pear
Plantain
Raspberry
Star Apple (Caimito)
Star Fruit (Carambola)
Strawberry Tree (Panama Berry)

Information adapted from Rare and Exotic Tropical Fruits: Trees and Plants, Carl W. Campbell, Seymour Goldweber, Caloosa Rare Fruit Exchange, 1985, Florida Fruit, Lewis S. Maxwell and Betty M. Maxwell, 1995 and Field Trials/Observations at Plantation House Eco Site, Grand Cayman, 1992-2010.

www.plantationhouse.blogspot.com

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