Solanum betaceum "Red Tamarillo"

A fast growing shrub / small tree bearing vibrant red egg-shaped fruit with orange flesh. They can be eaten fresh (I like them sprinkled with a little sugar), used in desserts, made into chutneys/ preserves or I even met someone who puts them in her curries! They taste a bit like passionfruit mixed with tomato; sounds weird but they will grow on you! Very popular in New Zealand, they are not quite as common in Australia. A prolific fruiter that only takes about 1 year to start bearing. Great for small yards as they only get to about 3m tall and can be kept pruned. The don't like wind and do tend to tip over so stake them if they're not in a particularly sheltered spot. They have large soft, lush leaves so dry winds will make them suffer! Also, they don't like frost or extreme heat and humidity. They grow beautifully here in Barrine, North Qld; technically I'm in a subtropical area due to altitude and do get a fair bit of rainfall.

Height: 3m

Width: 2.5m