TopTropicals Plant Catalog

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Eugenia uniflora, Eugenia michelii Family: Myrtaceae Surinam Cherry, Pitanga, Brazilian Cherry Origin: South America Native range extends from Surinam through Uruguay. Indigenous to South America, this plant is useful in landscaping for its red-colored new foliage against the dark green of older leaves along with its red to black, ribbed fruits. It also makes an attractive dense screening hedge amenable to clipping. The fruit can be excellent or only fair, depending on the variety. The deep red, almost black, fruited varieties tend to produce sweeter fruit. The Surinam cherry is a bush or small tree to 25ft in height. It is adapted to both subtropical and tropical climates and is hardy to 22F when full grown. Plants like full sun and are drought tolerant, needing only moderate rainfall. Fruits develop and ripen in just 3 weeks from flowering. Propagation: Almost always by seed, little attention is given to selection of superior varieties. Red type and black type forms usually come true to seed. Fertilize 3 time a year with fertilizer for acid loving plants, and use iron supplement if it becomes chlorotic. Pink, 1 inch wide flowers at the end of the spring, and then, occasionally the rest of the year. Can be used for espaliers or hedges, but will need regular trimming not to become a flat mound. It can be cut back hard if it becomes too large. The fruits are deeply 8-ribbed and usually about 1 inch in diameter (2.5 cm), although plants bearing fruits nearly 2 inches in diameter have been reported. The mature fruit range from light to dark red, to almost black, and have flesh of about the same shade. The juicy sweet-acid pulp encloses 1, or sometimes 2, fairly large seeds. The Surinam cherry is probably the best of the edible eugenias and is an excellent fresh fruit. It also can be used to make pies, jellies and jams. The pulp is a good source of calcium, and a fair source of phosphorus and iron. In Brazil, the juice is fermented into wine or vinegar. This tropical plant can successfully be grown in pots indoors in the cooler zones. Indoors, misting of the plants is helpful in winter. Link to this plant: http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/eugenia_uniflora.htm

The leaves color turned red during cold winter