Jaboticaba

Jaboticaba Care

Myrciaria Cauliflora

What is the plant

Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) is the exotic sounding name for a tropical fruit that’s native to Brazil. It’s easy to see why it’s also called the Brazilian grapetree, as the fruit looks like large dark purple grapes. The curious and quite striking thing about the jaboticaba is that the fruit is carried on the trunk and inner limbs rather than on the ends of branches.Jaboticaba flowers are white and fluffy and during the peak summer flowering season the flower covered stems are stunning. The sweet grape-like fruit matures mainly during autumn, though there can be multiple fruiting times throughout the year on well fed and watered plants when grown in the tropics. The antioxidant rich fruit can be eaten fresh or made into jams, jellies, juice and liqueur.

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Lighting

Part Sun

Hardiness zone

9b - 11

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water should be supplied as needed to maintain good soil moisture and prevent wilting, but constant flooding is undesirable. As the root system is somewhat shallow, irrigation is usually required when the upper inch or two of soil become dry.
Pruning
Pruning of jaboticabas is not usually needed, but when pruned as a hedge, the fruit is not destroyed since it is formed only on the inner branches and trunk.
Fertilizer
For young plants half ratio fertilizer at monthly intervals will speed the plant's very slow growth rate. Any well-balanced fertilizer applied three times per year will keep the plant healthy. Because of its shallow root system, it is suggested that a series of small holes be dug and filled with organic material around the plant's base. The organic material can contain a balanced fertilizer which will be released during irrigation.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Jaboticaba trees are will take full sun or some shade and are small enough fit into many parts of the garden landscape. They are fairly wind tolerant but do not like salty sea air. Small, young trees do best with some protection.
Soil
Jaboticabas grow and fruit best in rich deep soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Although it is not well adapted to alkaline soils, it may be grown successfully by mulching and applying necessary nutrient sprays containing iron. The tree is not tolerant of salty or poorly drained soil. It has grown and borne well on sand in Central Florida.
Temperature
Although Jaboticabas can tolerate a few degrees of frost, they do best under frost-free conditions. In areas where frost may be a problem, providing them with some overhead protection or planting them next to a wall or a building may be sufficient. The smallish plants are also fairly easy to cover during cold snaps by placing carpeting, plastic sheeting, etc. over a frame around them. Potted specimens can be moved to a frost-secure area.