Jaboticaba - Exotic Tropical Fruit

Bowl of exotic tropical fruit - Cape Tribulation

Cape Trib Exotic Fruit Farm at Cape Tribulation

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Jaboticaba
(Myrciaria cauliflora)

Produces a purple-black, grape-like fruit which grows directly on the trunk. Has a very sweet, slightly aromatic, translucent pulp with a pleasant grape flavour. Comes from Southern Brazil.

Soil Characteristics	Adapts to both clay and sandy soils. High water need.
Climate Requirements	Generally tropical but can tolerate light frost, with a reduction in the number of crops each year.
Culture	Grown from seed, but grafted trees may bear earlier. Feed trees regularly until four years old, then reduce fertiliser to minimize foliar growth and encourage flowering.
Harvesting	Fruit are borne directly on the main branches. Up to four crops can occur during the warmer time. Harvest the slightly unripe fruit every few days. It can be quite time consuming picking the fruit.
Length of time until first crop	Six years. Grafting is recommended
Marketing Notes	Fruit is very zesty when fresh but becomes increasingly bland within a few days. Makes an excellent red wine!

Food Preparation

The skin is very high in tannin and is very bitter. However it contributes to the deep red colour of the jams, jellies and wines.

Jaboticaba Jelly

Further information

Purdue University - Centre for New Crops and Plants - Jaboticaba
This site is a chapter from a book written by Julia Morton. Gives a detailed description of the different varieties, climate, soil, season, pests and diseases and food uses. You can purchase this classic book Fruits of Warm Climates online from Amazon.

Californian Rare Fruit Growers: Fruit Facts - Jaboticaba
This page describes the plant in detail and how to grow it, as well as providing a list of the different varieties available.

Neglected Crops: Subtropical Myrtaceae
Part of a chapter published by the FAO, the section on Jaboticaba has a good drawing which shows how the fruit grows directly on the branches of the tree.

You can buy a Jaboticaba tree from Daley's Nursery.

Read more in Florida's Best Fruiting Plants by Charles R Boning. Buy this book at Amazon

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