Jaboticaba 'Escarlate' at LCG (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Jaboticaba 'Escarlate'
Plinia cauliflora
Myrtaceae family
Seedling - Dwarf variety
Also known as the Brazilian Grape Tree, the Jaboticaba is a slow-growing evergreen tree native to Brazil. The 'Escarlate' is an early fruiting Jaboticaba variety, with first harvest possible at only 3 years old. This tree is a dwarf variety which means it will be very easy to keep to the desired size.
Jaboticaba trees usually produce fruit multiple times throughout the year (typically in the warmer months). The flowers and fruit form directly on the trunk and are often concealed from view - be sure to look closely, or you may miss it! Decent rainfall after an extended dry period will often trigger a flush of flowers and fruit. The fruit matures rapidly, usually within 20 to 25 days from flowering.
The 'Escarlate' has a medium sized fruit up to 3cm, with a thin skin turning red when ripe, encasing a sweet gelatinous flesh. You can eat the fruit with the skin on, but the skin is chewy and tart so you might prefer it without. It is often used to make jams, jelly, tarts, juice, or strong wines. High in fibre, vitamin C and zinc, rich in antioxidants. Research has also shown the peel is a source of bioactive compounds with prebiotic effects.
The location within LCG was chosen because of the high water table in this area - Jaboticabas love water.
Due to its short shelf-life, fresh Jaboticaba fruit is rare in markets outside areas of cultivation.
Tree Provenance
This tree, along with several other Plinia, Eugenia and Garcinia species in this section of Lennox Community Gardens, was donated by a rare fruit tree collector named Gabriel Anthony. Gabe grew many trees in pots, west of Byron Bay, and we were very lucky to receive several rare and special trees that were already on their way to maturity.
Tree Maintenance
Plinia cauliflora
Myrtaceae family
Seedling - Dwarf variety
Also known as the Brazilian Grape Tree, the Jaboticaba is a slow-growing evergreen tree native to Brazil. The 'Escarlate' is an early fruiting Jaboticaba variety, with first harvest possible at only 3 years old. This tree is a dwarf variety which means it will be very easy to keep to the desired size.
Jaboticaba trees usually produce fruit multiple times throughout the year (typically in the warmer months). The flowers and fruit form directly on the trunk and are often concealed from view - be sure to look closely, or you may miss it! Decent rainfall after an extended dry period will often trigger a flush of flowers and fruit. The fruit matures rapidly, usually within 20 to 25 days from flowering.
The 'Escarlate' has a medium sized fruit up to 3cm, with a thin skin turning red when ripe, encasing a sweet gelatinous flesh. You can eat the fruit with the skin on, but the skin is chewy and tart so you might prefer it without. It is often used to make jams, jelly, tarts, juice, or strong wines. High in fibre, vitamin C and zinc, rich in antioxidants. Research has also shown the peel is a source of bioactive compounds with prebiotic effects.
The location within LCG was chosen because of the high water table in this area - Jaboticabas love water.
Due to its short shelf-life, fresh Jaboticaba fruit is rare in markets outside areas of cultivation.
Tree Provenance
This tree, along with several other Plinia, Eugenia and Garcinia species in this section of Lennox Community Gardens, was donated by a rare fruit tree collector named Gabriel Anthony. Gabe grew many trees in pots, west of Byron Bay, and we were very lucky to receive several rare and special trees that were already on their way to maturity.
Tree Maintenance
- Prune to size as needed - keep to about 2.5m height.
- Jaboticabas are acid-loving; do not apply alkaline soil amendments such as lime.
- It is not nutrient-demanding: fertilise sparingly twice per year with an organic fertiliser such as chicken manure pellets or 'blood & bone'. Jaboticabas are sensitive to fertiliser: too much will result in leaf tip burn.
- Apply seaweed emulsion as a foliar spray up to four times per year.
- Once established, water deeply during dry periods. Younger trees should not be allowed to dry out. Will handle flooding conditions well.
Jaboticaba 'Escarlate' at LCG March 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Jaboticaba 'Escarlate' at LCG September 2022 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
