Jaboticaba

Plinia cauliflora

Origin Brazil

Edibility Fruit is red or purple and similar in size and shape to a grape. The flavor is also grape like but with floral and berry notes. The fruit is ripened on the tree and must be eaten within a few days or it will spoil.

Characteristics Jaboticabas are beautiful trees with gorgeous red bark that can grow to 40 feet in their native habitat but rarely grow to half that in Florida. They are slow growers and may take 5-10 years to start fruiting. The flowers smell wonderful and they sprout right out of the trunk of the tree. Jaboticabas like sun or partial shade and prefer wet and acidic soils.