Rainforest Plum at LCG (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Rainforest Plum
Eugenia candolleana
Myrtaceae family
The Rainforest Plum grows to 3–6 m tall, with a rounded canopy up to 2 m wide. New leaves are rusty-brown, turning yellow and then deep dark green
The tree flowers heavily and generally sets fruit in Autmn but may have more than one fruiting each year (check carefully as they can be hard to spot). The fruit is about 3cm in size and when ripe has a purple-black skin. The pulp is slightly dry, sweet and slightly acidic, and can be eaten fresh or made into jams.
Native to Brazil, it is also known by the Portuguese names cambuí roxo ('purple cambuí') or murtinha ('little myrtle'). It is quite rare in the wild, and has seen limited use in landscaping for its bright green foliage and purple-black fruits.
Tree Maintenance
Eugenia candolleana
Myrtaceae family
The Rainforest Plum grows to 3–6 m tall, with a rounded canopy up to 2 m wide. New leaves are rusty-brown, turning yellow and then deep dark green
The tree flowers heavily and generally sets fruit in Autmn but may have more than one fruiting each year (check carefully as they can be hard to spot). The fruit is about 3cm in size and when ripe has a purple-black skin. The pulp is slightly dry, sweet and slightly acidic, and can be eaten fresh or made into jams.
Native to Brazil, it is also known by the Portuguese names cambuí roxo ('purple cambuí') or murtinha ('little myrtle'). It is quite rare in the wild, and has seen limited use in landscaping for its bright green foliage and purple-black fruits.
Tree Maintenance
- Prune to size as needed - keep to about 2m height. This tree is part of a row of seven trees along the west boundary of LCG (adjacent the veggie beds) that are intended to form an edible hedge.
- Keep soil well composted and mulched, leaving a gap around the trunk to avoid collar rot.
- Fertilise twice per year with an organic fertiliser such as chicken manure pellets or 'blood & bone'.
- 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.
Rainforest Plum at LCG March 2025
Rainforest Plum in flower at LCG February 2025 (photo credit: Jacqui Lachmann)
Rainforest Plum at LCG August 2022 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
