How to grow tropical fruits in your garden

New Zealand has a vibrant Pasifika community and an affinity with our Pacific Island neighbours. For a taste of home, here are four tropical fruits commonly grown in the Pacific that will also grow in Aotearoa. While these plants are not native to the Pacific, they are delicious backyard staples throughout the region.

Find out the ideal conditions to promote healthy growth for these four exotic fruits:

• Banana ‘Misi Luki’ (Musa acuminata)
• Custard apples (Annona cherimola)
• Mountain pawpaw (Carica pubescens)
• Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)

How to grow banana ‘Misi Luki’ (Musa acuminata)

New Zealanders love bananas – one year we consumed up to 26kg each* – and luckily there’s a type that grows well here, particularly north of Bay of Plenty. Originating in Samoa, Misi Luki is a lady finger banana, producing short, plump and sweet fruit. Though hardy, they’re heavy feeders – plant on a pile of well-rotted compost in a sheltered, sunny spot, then mulch and feed regularly.

How to grow custard apples (Annona cherimola)

Also known as Cherimoya, the custard apple is related to soursops and sugar apples. This small tree is self-fertile but hand pollination will help the fruit set, as New Zealand insects don’t regularly visit the flowers. Use a small paintbrush to gather pollen from the tan anthers of the male flowers then, when fresh female flowers have appeared, insert the collected pollen.

How to grow mountain pawpaw (Carica pubescens)

A fast-growing, palm-like tree, the mountain pawpaw can fruit in two years, producing 50-60 fruit per season that taste like guava. Tall and straight, reaching up to 4m, it’s ideal for small or subtropical gardens – it loves humidity and can tolerate temperatures from 10-28°C plus the odd frost. Plant in free-draining, well-enriched soil in a sunny, sheltered spot and keep mulched.

How to grow passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)

This sun-loving vine looks great over a pergola or trellis or can be grown in a container with a suitable climbing frame. Plant in well-draining soil in a sheltered, sunny spot from October through to May and keep up the mulch and water. Best in subtropical regions, it will have two flushes of flowers that turn into fruit, one around October and then, if it’s warm enough, around March.

Keep in mind…

Take care when selecting your plants as some can be poisonous to children and pets, and check their suitability for your area, as some may be classified as weeds in certain regions.

Keen to grow more fresh fruit in your garden?

Check out our article on how to grow, prune and care for an orange tree.

Photo credit: Adobe Stock.