Tag Archives: Portugal

The cold-hardy Gomera-1 Mango Tree

Canarius | Sunday May 29th, 2011 |

Gomera-1 is a hardy variety of Mango suited to a coastal Mediterranean climate. It is used as a rootstock for grafting other cultivars of mango, because the roots of Gomera-1 grow better in colder or dryer areas and improve the cold-hardiness of the plant.

Two Mango Gomera-1 trees in a poorly irrigated terrace in Southern Anaga, Tenerife.

This variety of mango is well adapted to the environment of the Canary Islands. It can be seen thriving in windy areas with rocky soils. It is unscathed by cool and wet winters and fruits very well and regularly. It is found on many islands and it was probably, initially brought from Cuba. The name Gomera refers to the island of La Gomera, one of the seven islands of our archipelago. This is where Canarian agronomists collected the first samples to study this mango which is quite common in the rural areas of the islands.  Fruits are yellow, small to average size (250 g average), with  very good flavour, sweet, aromatic, with a high content in fibres.

Yellow fruits of the Cold Hardy Canarian Mango named Gomera – 1

Cultivation

It needs just the same conditions of any other mango trees. It is reproduced from seed. As a polyembrionic Mango, 90% of the seedlings are true to type. Adult trees are able to flower up to 3 times a year. If it is too cold or wet, they will loose the inflorescences and flower again, about 2 months later, until the right season for fruit set is matched. In order to achieve larger fruits sizes, it is good to remove by hand 1/3 of the fruits from the bunch. Gomera-1 fruits outdoors in coastal Mediterranean climates and it needs little or no protection in coastal Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece and also in the French Riviera.

Use as Root Stock for Grafting

Mango Gomera is regularly used as a rootstock for grafting throughout the Canary Islands and also in Andalusia. The use of the Canarian Hardy Mango as a rootstock permitted to push the commercial production of Mango in the Mediterranean basin, because the roots are hardier to cold and wet soil. All the different varieties of mango trees that we offer for sale are grafted on Gomera-1 rootstocks, so our customers in Europe will get the benefit of some added cold resistance from the roots.

Gomera mango trees used as a rootstock to graft different varieties

Gomera mango trees used as a rootstock to graft different varieties

Scientific Literature in Spanish about Mango Gomera

Mejora del Mango en Canarias

Gomera-1 en el programa de mejora del Mango

Buy cold hardy mango trees in our Shop

In our shop you can purchase small trees of Gomera mangos and also a wide selection of mango trees of different varieties. All trees are grafted by hand, with specific cultivars. We ship them directly to your home. Try also our delicious Mango jam with or without sugar, in the honeys & jams section, produced with the mangoes of the Canary Islands.

Red Leaf Palms from Tenerife to Europe. Pictures and Videos.

Palmera de hoja roja. Palma dalla foglia rossa. Chambeyronia Canarius | Saturday May 28th, 2011 |

This palm produces new leaves that are red for one or two weeks. Then they turn green and you have to wait for another new leaf in order to see again the red colour.  The Latin name of this unusual palm is Chambeyronia macrocarpa. It is native to New Caledonia and takes light frosts.  Red Leaf Palms grow outdoors in the coastal Mediterranean climate, even though it is very slow. They are grown successfully in Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy and Greece.

This palm grows a bit faster in the Canary Islands and many specimens are cultivated in Tenerife for sale. Red-leaf-palms are highly demanded palms in Europe.

Canarius.com offers different sizes of Chambeyronia and will ship them to your home. Some examples are:

Palmera de hoja roja. Palma dalla foglia rossa. Chambeyronia

 

Chambeyronia Macrocarpa

This video shows larger palms of the same species grown in the ground in Southern Tenerife. These are also cultivated for commercial purposes. It is spectacular to see so many red leaves.

Not all palms are tropical plants. Many palm species can resist snow and frost. Come and visit our shop at www.canarius.com . We offer above 100 palm species and will ship to your home.

Where do mangos grow in Europe?

Mango Irwin Canarius | Thursday January 20th, 2011 |

Mango is not a strictly tropical tree. It grows better in areas with Subtropical climate because it needs a cooler winter for good fruiting. Mango trees do  grow and fruit in many areas of Europe with a Mediterranean Climate. Some varieties fruit better than others in cold climates.

Mango Irwin

Mango Irwin

Areas with Commercial Mango Production in Europe

  • Canary Islands (Spain)
  • Andalucía (Spain)
  • Sicilia (Italy)

Areas where Mango Trees Grow and Fruit

  • Coastal Southern Portugal
  • Coastal Southern Italy
  • Coastal Southern Spain
  • Coastal Greece
  • The Southern islands such as Malta, Crete and Cyprus.
  • Trees with little protection can fruit in Southern France, Riviera.

Mango trees are also grown in the Southern Mediterranean, in Northern African countries and Israel.

Buy mango trees in Europe

In our internet shop you can purchase a wide selection of young mango trees of different varieties. They are all grafted on the cold-hardy rootstock Gomera-1. Canarius offers more than 20 varieties of grafted mango trees. We ship from the Canary Islands to your place the same grafted trees that are sold to local farmers , ready to go to the field: same plants, same size, same deep pots. The plants you purchase are at least 2 years old, because the root trees are grown for 1,5 years before grafting.

Grafting Mangos in the Nursery

Grafting Mangos in the Nursery

Growing Acerola Fruits in Cold Climates

Canarius | Tuesday November 30th, 2010 |

Acerola is a cherry like fruit native to tropical America. The fruit is extremely high in vitamine C. It grows from a small tree  which is also ornamental. The scientific name is Malpighia glabra. It is usually grown in tropical and subtropical countries but it can be tried further North.

Can Malpighia glabra grow out of the tropics?

  • Acerola is hardy to-2 C (28 F). It grows and fruits outdoors in coastal Mediterranean climates. Malpighia glabra needs no protection in warmer Southern Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece and also in the French Riviera.

    Fruit of Acerola

    Fruit of Acerola

  • Malpighia glabra has a fast fruiting cycle. It goes from flower to fruit in just 3-4 weeks.  Acerola does not need a long summer. One or two crops of acerolas can be expected in northern latitudes.

    Flower of Malpighia glabra

    Flower of Malpighia glabra

  • Malpighia glabra grows well in pots. It can be kept as a small shrub and it will still fruit freely.  In colder areas, potted plants can be moved to a warmer site in winter, and can be placed in full sun during the warmer months.

    These are the plants of Acerola that we sell at www.canarius.com

    These are the plants of Acerola that we sell at www.canarius.com

  • Acerola stands drought and can do a winter rest. Potted shrubs can be kept on the dry side during the winter months. It will drop some leaves and will come back with leaves and new flowers when warmth and water are provided.

Subtropical Climate

Canarius | Tuesday May 11th, 2010 |

Subtropical climates are non tropical climates with cool winters with little or no frosts. In subtropical climates, Winter is a noticeably cooler season. It is relatively warm, but never as hot as the summer season. These climates rarely, if ever, see frost or snow. Subtropical belts exist in both hemispheres and they are located just North and South of the tropics.

Rainfall patterns vary widely throughout the subtropics including hot deserts, savannas, monsoon forests, humid forests and the warmer parts of the Mediterranean climate zone. Subtropical regions include:

Typical House in Tenerife, with a Subtropical Kentia Palm and Potted Cacti

Northern Hemisphere: California, Texas, Florida, Canary Islands and Madeira, parts of the Mediterranean, northern India, southeast China, Southern Japan

Southern Hemisphere:  So. Brazil, N. Argentina, Parts of Chile, Uruguay, large parts of Australia and coastal South Africa (Mostly Natal)

Subtropical Climate in Europe

Europe has some Subtropical spots too in warmer, coastal areas within the mediterranean climate area. The climate in the Southern Mediterranean, with little or no frost , can be defined as Subtropical climate. This is the case of the coastal areas of Southern Portugal (Algarve), Southern Spain (Andalucia, Almeria, Murcia), Southern Italy (Sicilia, Calabria) and Southern Greece. Even cooler Subtropical areas can be found in Southern France (Cote d’Azur). Warmer spots are also found in the United Kingdom, precisely in the Isles of Scilly with 6 °C (42.8 °F) average in the coldest month. Of course there is a lot of difference between the Isles of Scilly and a typically hot subtropical climate like Florida. The English islands have a cooler, even climate reminiscent of the mountain climate in the warmer Subtropics.

The Canary Islands are located in the Subtropical belt too, very close to the tropics. The climate is frost-free on the coast, but it less hot than in many Subtropical areas because of the trade winds and the cold ocean. The Canaries are the only territory of Europe located straight into the subtropical belt.  Even here we do not have a typical subtropical climate, because our climate is also Mediterranean, because of the rainfall pattern and also Oceanic, because of the cooling effect of the sea.

Fruiting papaya in the Canary Islands

Exotic Gardens and Crops in Subtropical Climates

Many tropical species will tolerate the winter in the Subtropics and will grow outdoors. More than 500 palm species can live in Subtropical areas with little or no frost, exotic flowers such as Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) or (Heliconia) and many Cycad species. The beautiful Bromeliad Family is a must in any garden. Hundreds of species of Succulent Plants from dry areas can grow and bloom as long as they are kept dry in winter. The dry subtropics include many of the world desert, so here is where most desert gardens are developed. Also the tropical succulent species will do fine, like Melocactus or Adenium and Pachypodium if kept well drained. Palm-like desert plants, such as Yucca and Dasylirion, thrive to perfection.

Melocactus conoideus grows outdoors on the Subtropical coast of Tenerife

Fully tropical species can grow in the Subtropics. They may slow down or stop in winter but most will grow reasonably well. Many tropical fruit trees grow freely. Mango, Papaya, Sugar Cane and Avocados are produced commercially in various subtropical regions of the world. Occasional frosts or short summers limit the spread of tropical horticulture in the Subtropics.

A blue leaved Cycad from the subtropical coast of South Africa, Encephalartos arenarius.

An impressive number of Palms and Cycads is kept by collectors. Many tropical flowers will winter outdoors. Bromeliads can be used freely as garden plants, as well as Heliconias. In lower latitudes, Cacti and Succulents are simply part of the landscape. Different species of Agave, mostly from Mexico, grow wild on the hillsides of Mediterranean Europe and Aloes flourish in pots and gardens. Large specimens will often enhance the garden of the villa, in the ground or in large pots. Southern Spain and Portugal are even sunnier, almost as Northern Africa so Cuban Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) and Royal Poincianas (Delonix regia) thrive in many coastal location, papayas will fruit with little effort.

With some protection and some effort you can grow subtropical plants in colder climates. Visit our blog section about Tropical Gardening in Northern Climates.

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Come to our shop and buy the best subtropical plants of all kinds. We ship to anywhere in Europe.

Neoregelia chlorosticta blooming with yellow and red leaves

Fabulous colours on the bromeliad Neoregelia chlorosticta, blooming with yellow and red leaves

Mediterranean Climate

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This climate is found in the Mediterranean Basin, as well as in SW California, SW Australia, SW South Africa and Central Chile. All share the same rainfall pattern with a peak in the cooler season.

The Mediterranean Basin, between Southern Europe and Northern Africa is surely the best example of a typical mediterranean climate. There is a big termical difference between the North and the South. Northern latitudes are much cooler. Southern France is the Northernmost extension of the Mediterranean. It is not as hot as other areas but there is a very good climate, because of the protection of the Alps, that block the cold fronts from the North and keeps the cimate very Mediterranean. In the lower latitudes, on the Northern African coast, winters are much shorter and sunnier while frost is absent or very uncommon.

Exotic Gardens and Crops in Mediterranean Climates

Many subtropical species grow outdoors with minimal effort in coastal gardens of Mediterranean countries, in Southern Europe and Northern Africa. More than 50 palm species can take regular light frosts, exotic flowers such as Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) and many Cycad species. Hundred of species of Cacti and Succulents can grow and bloom as long as they are kept dry in winter. Palm-like desert plants, such as Yucca and Dasylirion, thrive to perfection. Some tropical fruit trees can produce outdoors, such as avocado (Persea) and Feijoa sellowiana. Occasional frosts limit the spread of tropical horticulture in the Northern side of the Mediterranean Basin.

Aloe arborescens

Aloes from South Africa are used as garden plants in Mediterranean Climates

A warmer Mediterranean climate is found in the Southern Mediterranean, where winters are shorter and sunnier and frosts seldom occur. Some writers state these are Subtropical climates. Even some fully tropical species can grow in the better, warmer spots of Southern Spain and Portugal, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Sicily, the Greek Islands and the whole coast of Northern Africa have eccelent climates to grow exotics. Tropical fruits grow freely, as Mango, Annona and Avocado are produced commercially in various regions.

Persea Hass Cut

Avocado fruits regularly in many coastal areas

An impressive number of Palms and Cycads is kept by collectors. Many tropical flowers will winter outdoors. Bromeliads and Plumeria hybrids can be used freely as garden plants and Plumeria is the official flower of the city of Palermo, in Sicily. In lower latitudes, Cacti and Succulents are simply part of the landscape. Different species of Agave, mostly from Mexico, grow wild on the hillsides of Mediterranean Europe and Aloes flourish in pots and gardens. Large specimens will often enhance the garden of the villa, in the ground or in large pots. Southern Spain and Portugal are even sunnier, almost as Northern Africa so Cuban Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) and Royal Poincianas (Delonix regia) thrive in many coastal location, papayas will fruit with little effort.

Agave attenuata

Mexican Agaves thrive in Mediterranean Climates. These Agave attenuata are grown in Tenerife as ornamental plants.