Fruitful Trees
Fruit Tree Q&A: What to Plant, What to Avoid, And How to Grow Better
Welcome to another Fruitful Trees Q&A! Today I’m answering your questions about tropical fruit trees in South Florida, including mangoes, papayas, star apples, sapodilla, black sapote, egg fruit, white sapote, custard apples, and the rare gummy worm fruit (serapia).
Whether you're a new grower or building a backyard food forest, this Q&A covers what to plant, what NOT to plant, spacing tips, best varieties, fruiting seasons, and how to avoid the costly mistakes I made early on.
Topics we cover in this video:
• The BEST papaya varieties (Red Lady, dwarf varieties, and seed-grown papaya truths)
• The egg fruit variety that finally changed my mind
• Mango varieties I recommend — and ones I don’t
• White sapote updates and upcoming announcements
• Black sapote & star apple season info
• Gummy worm fruit (serapia) care, pruning & pot vs. ground
• Why bananas are tricky in small spaces
• The best mamey sapote varieties & which cover the most months
• Where to buy trees in South Florida (Excalibur, Laura Farms, Sleepy Lizard, Zay’s World, etc.)
• High-density planting tips for small yards
• What fruit grows best east of I-95
• Florida Mango Festival updates for 2026
If you want me to visit your property, email me at: paul@rawlife.com
Follow me on TikTok for live garden videos: Fruitful Trees
Keep growing and keep learning!
0:00 Introduction and purpose of the Q&A
0:16 Winter season in South Florida and current fruit seasons
1:24 Black sapote and juju-bee season updates
2:03 Star apple varieties and keeping trees small
2:53 Egg fruit (canistel) varieties and the surprising new variety
3:55 Best papaya varieties and papaya-growing tips
6:57 Sapodilla vs. mamey flavor clarification
8:40 Coconut varieties and health notes
9:22 Cherimoya and what grows in Florida
10:51 Thai purple mango and opinions on Thai varieties
11:42 4026 mango review
12:19 Egg fruit update and hidden variety teaser
13:21 Gummy worm fruit (serapia) update
14:19 Favorite custard apple varieties
16:41 Black sapote varieties: Everbearing and Orona
17:27 Where to find breadfruit trees
18:01 Mamey varieties and which ones to plant
20:52 Small vs. big mamey trees and which are worth buying
22:18 Guava berry, watermelon, and other fruit questions
23:01 How to contact Paul for property visits
24:09 Growing mangoes east of I-95 vs. west
26:00 Eating mostly homegrown fruit and health insights
29:58 Books, shirts, and the Raw Life Health Show
32:06 Trees planted today and gummy worm planting plans
33:01 Best three mameys to cover the whole year
34:53 Banana varieties Paul planted
37:02 Florida Mango Festival updates
38:02 Why Paul suddenly likes egg fruit again
39:53 Miracle fruit and juju-bee update
40:47 Dragon fruit project using trees as trellises
42:05 Sabara vs. red jaboticaba
42:53 Why Paul no longer grows mulberries
43:24 High-density planting explanation
44:24 Gummy worm fruit differences and pruning
45:18 Banana trees: why Paul limits them
47:14 Pickering, Glenn, and other mango variety opinions
48:04 Why bananas aren’t ideal for small spaces
49:01 Coconut maturity and taste differences
49:52 How big serapia (gummy worm fruit) must be to fruit
51:00 New mango varieties planted by viewers & feedback
52:12 White sapote video announcement
53:35 Watermelon color vs. taste
54:05 Lychee, jaboticaba, and other trees
55:10 Growing mangoes in Georgia
56:03 Mango Fest improvements for 2026
57:28 Favorite starfruit variety
58:09 When Mango Fest date will be announced
59:37 How to sign up as a vendor
1:01:19 Best time to visit Florida for tropical fruit
1:02:12 Where to taste mangoes and other fruit
1:02:58 Health habits and early-morning gardening
🌳 Have a Fruit Tree Garden? Let’s Film It!
If you have a yard with fruit trees—especially in the South Florida area—I'd love to visit and film your garden for the channel!
📩 Contact me at paul@rawlife.com (please include your location).
👕 Get Your Fruitful Trees Gear!
Order your official Fruitful Trees baseball cap or shirt here:
👉 https://www.rawlife.com/shirts-and-hats/
🌱 Join the Fruitful Trees Facebook Group
Connect with others who love growing trees:
👉 www.facebook.com/groups/fruitfultreestv/
🛒 Check Out My Amazon Store
Browse my favorite products and recommended tools/books here:
👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/therawlifehealthshow
When you purchase through this link, the companies share a small commission with me—helping me continue this educational work. Thank you for the support!
🔗 Follow Me on Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthwatchman/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulnison/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Paulnison
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@fruitfultrees?lang=en
#FruitTrees #TropicalFruit #FloridaGardening #BackyardOrchard #MangoTrees #Papaya #Mamey #StarApple
Published Dec 12, 2025