A member of the Myrtaceae family, the Brazilian cherry tree (Eugenia uniflora) is related to the guava, mountain apple, jaboticaba, and other Eugenia species. Due to the shrub’s naturalization throughout the world, it is also more popularly known by the names Surinam cherry or Florida cherry for the shrub that is frequently mistaken for a tree. It grows naturally in thickets along river banks in eastern South America, from Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana south to southern Brazil and Uruguay.
Varieties
If it’s frequently mistaken for the West Indian cherry (acerola), be aware that they don’t have a lot in common. Brazilian cherries are significantly less vitamin-rich than west Indian cherries and have a core that is much more acidic.
The spindly limbs of this beautiful tree or shrub can reach heights of 7 meters. It can reach a height of 1000 meters. Simple, opposing leaves range in form from oval to lance-shaped.
When they’re young, they have a reddish colour and a gorgeous glossy green. A single or few-flowered white flower produces an immature cherry that is somewhat flattened and has eight projecting ribs.
When ripe, its smooth, green skin turns scarlet; the cultivated variety is brown.
The soft and juicy pulp has a slight bitterness mingled with acidity. It contains a large seed.
The pulp is delicate and juicy with a faint bitterness and acidity mixed. It has a sizable seed inside.
Where to find a Brazilian cherry tree
Brazilian cherry trees are native to South American tropical rainforests, but they are widely grown as decorative plants in many other nations. Over 75% of all Brazilian cherry tree plantations are located in Brazil, with another 20% spread over Peru and Colombia.
Brazilian cherry trees have also been planted in many different countries. Since 1997, they have been widely grown in Australia, where they are exploited for profit to produce foods like jam and juice. If you live in California or Florida (the United States), South Africa (SA), Kenya (KE) or any of the other nations not already mentioned here, you may also be able to find Brazilian cherry trees at your local nursery or garden centre.
PLANTING BRAZILIAN CHERRY TREES
• Make sure you have enough space if you intend to cultivate these cherry trees.
• Since the plants develop quickly, the rows must be 18 feet apart. Plant 2–5 feet apart for hedges.
• Plant at a minimum distance of 10 feet from other trees, shrubs, or plants.
• Brazilian cherry trees do not appreciate moist soil, so make sure your soil drains adequately.
• To ensure that your tree develops rapidly and is in good health, mix perlite, soil, and sand together.
• Place the tree where it will get full sun for at least 12 hours per day.
How to Grow a Brazilian Cherry
Plan your rows 18 feet (5.5 meters) apart if you’re planting Brazilian cherry trees in the ground because they develop quickly and require some room. Plant 2 to 5 feet (0.6 to 1.5 meters) apart for hedges. Plan to place a shrub at least 10 feet (3 meters) apart from other trees or shrubs if you are simply planting one. Brazilian cherry trees can also be grown in containers, provided you pick one that is big enough to accommodate growth.
Brazilian cherry doesn’t want their roots to be damp, thus drainage-friendly soil is crucial. Your cherry will thrive if you give it soil, sand, and perlite in combination. Plant Brazilian cherry as much as possible in full sun with at least 12 hours of bright sunshine for the best fruit production.
Pruning
Although this plant can be pruned, we do not recommend it because it would lose its natural shape.
How to Care for Brazilian Cherries
During the flowering and fruiting seasons, water your Brazilian cherry thoroughly and deeply once or twice a week to complement rainfall. Soak the soil up to the root zone and all around it. The fruits will grow bigger and tastier if the shrub is watered throughout this time.
Feed the plant a balanced, complete fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 NPK, four times a year (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium). According to the dosage recommendations on the label, apply the fertilizer in January, April, July, and October.
If you’re planting Brazilian cherries as a hedge, prune them for shape. However, you should hold off on pruning the bushes until the third or fourth year if you want to encourage timely or early ripening.
PESTS
The easiest way to manage pests that are attacking your plants, such as aphids or other insects, is by hand. Change the soil around your plants, take out as many pests as you can by hand, and then give them a strong watering to flush out any prospective eggs. Spray them with diluted liquid black soap (be sure to get the underside of the leaves). Several times, separated by a few days, repeat the surgery. Bring them outside in nice weather because most predators are killed by the rain, sun, and wind.
Nutritional Value
Cherries from Surinam are a good source of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system, and vitamin A, which keeps organs operating normally. The fruits also have anti-oxidants to shield cells from free radical damage, calcium and phosphorus to strengthen bones and teeth, iron to create haemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the bloodstream, and calcium and phosphorus. Parts of the Surinam cherry tree are used in traditional remedies in Central and South America to make a mixture of essential oils that fights against the Paracoccidioidomycosis fungus, which is a frequent disease. The leaves strong scent is also applied topically or spread out on floors to serve as an insect deterrent.
Applications
Surinam cherries have a sweet-tart flavour that works well in both raw and cooked dishes. The fruits can be collected, cut in half, with the seeds removed, and kept in the refrigerator for a few
hours. They should only be eaten when they mature. The resinous flavour of the fruits can be lessened by letting them rest at a cool temperature. Incorporating the fruits as a topping over freshly baked goods, ice cream, and custards, the sliced fruits can also be dusted with sugar to increase their sweetness.
Surinam cherries can be cooked into sauces, relish, and compotes or quickly pickled and added to green salads and fruit bowls.
The fruits can be used similarly to berries in baking, and when cooked with sugar, they can be infused into jellies, jams, and fillings for pastries or used to flavour syrups for cocktails.
In Brazil, Surinam cherries are popularly fermented into wine and spirits, used to flavour vinegar, or boiled with water to make juice.
Surinam cherries pair well with vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, honey, and maple syrup. Whole, unwashed Surinam cherries will keep 2 to 5 days when stored in an open container in the refrigerator. The fruits have a delicate nature when ripe and should be handled with care as they can be easily bruised, punctured, or squished.
When cooked with sugar, the fruits can be infused into jellies, jams, and fillings for pastries as well as used to flavour syrups for drinks.
The fruits can be utilized in baking in a way similar to berries. Surinam cherries are widely used in Brazil to flavour vinegar, ferment into wine and spirits, and make juice by boiling them with water. Vanilla, caramel, chocolate, fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, honey, and maple syrup go well with Surinam cherries. Whole, unwashed Surinam cherries can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 5 days in an open container. When ripe, the fruits are delicate and should be handled carefully because they are easily bruised, pierced, or squashed.