Malpighia emarginata - 'Barbados Cherry'

[Grautier]

Does someone grow this little tree? When does it flower for you?

[estación seca]

I found useful information.
here
and
here.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Well well well I finally have company.

I have had this tree for close to a decade. In a cup, then pot, then bigger pot and now the ground. More vitamin C in one than an average orange!


And tasty

I find there are three flower flushes now at a full tree, march, June, and august….ish

My uncle is a drink nerd and he has made a few cocktails with these, he claims it is a great foil to many bitters. I like whiskey lol

[Grautier]

Estación seca, that was great! I thought I'd read almost all up to now, but these two I didn't know. I never searched for punicifolia, that's true.

They contain the info I still missed: the induced flowering flush after watering. I surmised it from other readings.
Thanks a lot.


Thanks DirtyC, too. My plant just arrived. Took me 2 years to get one, for the price I'd have got one xhardyana semialba as well ...
Nearly a meter from ground now. Strong cutting - two in fact - and gorgeous roots, so I've taken cuttings, too, before planting. I'd like to see first flowers this summer. This plant hopefully will suply all vit C we need, together with two guayabas, a 'normal' yellow skin/red flesh and a strawberry guava.

Why are acerolas not more wide spread? I know these fruits have no shelf live, but in a house garden, they even don't need a big space. Just sun and water. Or am I missing something?
I mean, up to 4 g Vit C per 100g, that is a treat!

[DirtyCoconuts]

I agree. They are a wonderful little tree and I recommend them to everyone

Happy growing and good luck!

[Shadeflower]

I found one on amazon for £15. Wouldn't grow well here though. Shame

ok scrap my comment, it seemed too good to be true, like orchid seeds sold on amazon :P

[Grautier]

I've never bought anything through amazon and that will stay like that. Remember the cowmilk ... Awareness makes new alternatives.

The world is far too big and precious to let it spoil.

Acerola seed seem to perish very quickly. Sending them - keeping in mind the time mail takes these days (used to be one day not long ago) and disregarding it is considered unlawful nowadays - would not help. So the best way would be contacting local growers. If you can grow palms in gb, you can pot an acerola, too.

[estación seca]

Seed of most of its Eugenia relatives remain viable as long as it's moist. Nurseries ship seed in plastic baggies with a bit of moist sphagnum moss.

For example, Fruit Lovers Nursery in Hawaii. They ship some products internationally.

[DirtyCoconuts]

if it is legal i will happily send seed to someone

[Grautier]

Malpighiales (our plant) and Myrtales (Psidium, Eugenia, Syzygium) are no close relatives.