Plinia caulifloraJaboticaba

Flowering and fruiting straight off the trunk and main branches, Plinia cauliflora studs itself with white blossom and then with purple-black grapes from the bark outward. The Jaboticaba is a slow Brazilian evergreen reaching 6 to 12 metres in the ground.

Add smooth mottled bark that peels in patches and salmon-pink new growth, and it works as a feature tree even in the long periods when it is not carrying fruit.

Specifications

• Height6 to 12 metres, commonly 4 to 6 metres in cultivation
• Width4 to 6 metres
• Native toSouthern Brazil
• FoliageSmall lance-shaped leaves, glossy dark green with salmon-pink new growth; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilPrefers deep, moist, well-drained slightly acidic soils; dislikes alkaline and saline ground
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate to high; keep evenly moist
• ClimateThrives in humid subtropical and warm temperate regions

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall white flowers borne directly on the trunk and main branches
• FruitRound purple-black grape-like fruit on the trunk, edible and sweet, with several crops a year on mature trees
• FormMulti-stemmed habit with smooth mottled bark that peels in patches
• UsesIdeal for courtyard and feature planting, edible landscapes and large containers
• SpacingPlant 4 to 6 metres apart
• Low MaintenanceNeeds little pruning; mulch well and keep the root zone moist
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound with basic care
• Seasonal AppealSalmon-pink growth flushes and trunk-borne fruit through the warmer months

The Jaboticaba is a genuine curiosity that also performs as a landscape tree, fruiting from the bark in a way nothing else in the palette does.