Master the Brazilian Cherry Plant: Step-by-Step Growing Guide
The Brazilian cherry plant, also sold as Surinam cherry or pitanga, is an evergreen shrub that bears small, ribbed fruit. How to grow a Brazilian cherry plant comes down to sun, well-drained soil, and protection from cold. Brazilian cherry care stays simple once the plant is established.
The Brazilian Cherry Plant
Brazilian cherry belongs to the myrtle family and to the Eugenia group of plants. It grows as a multibranched evergreen shrub or small tree, usually shrub size, and growth is slow, so a young plant fills out gradually.
These trees reach 8 to 20 feet tall and spread 6 to 15 feet wide. A mature plant left alone can reach 16 to 20 feet tall and 11 to 15 feet wide, and some grow to 25 feet.
The fruit is a juicy berry up to 1.5 inches across, with seven or eight ribs and one to three resinous seeds. It changes color as it ripens, from green to yellow to orange to red, and ripe fruit can turn deep purple. Fruit generally ripens within three weeks of flowering.
The plant shears easily, and a hedge stays dense to the ground if the top is clipped. It also suits a container or above-ground planter, and it can be trained as a single-trunk standard.
Growing guide
Starting a Surinam cherry plant takes seeds, cuttings, or a nursery specimen. A nursery plant is the quickest way to get going, as the plant is already established. Seeds remain viable for only about a month and take three to four weeks to germinate, so sow fresh seed. Volunteer seedlings can be transplanted. Seedling development varies widely: some young trees bear fruit at two years, others wait five or six years, and plants in unfavorable situations can take 10 years.
Both grafting and air layering are propagation methods that work. Grafting lets a grower select a specific cultivar, such as the rarer dark crimson to nearly black form that tastes sweeter and less resinous than the common orange-red form. Rootstocks tend to sucker below the graft, so monitor the base and remove suckers to protect the variety.
Plant in the ground in full sun, or in a container on a patio. A potted plant still needs to come indoors or move to shelter in cold weather. Fruit follows spring flowering. The flesh is orange-red and very juicy, and the flavor ranges from acid to sweet, with a touch of resin and slight bitterness.
Scale insects and caterpillars can attack the foliage, and Caribbean and Mediterranean fruit flies are strongly attracted to the fruit. White grubs can damage the roots. Diseases rarely cause serious trouble, but twig dieback, leaf spot, thread blight, and anthracnose can appear.
Light and water needs
Brazilian cherry grows in part shade to part sun, and it thrives in full sun. Plants grow outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9b through 11. Zone 9b sits at the cold edge of that range, while zones 10 and 11 stay warmer through winter.
Cold is the biggest risk with a Brazilian cherry tree. The plant is semi-hardy, and young trees take damage below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Leaves turn red in the cold, which signals that the plant needs protection. Bring a potted plant indoors or cover it when frost is forecast, and plan frost protection before the first cold night. In zone 9b, plant in the warmest, most sheltered spot on the property.
Water shapes the fruit, so regular, even daily watering encourages larger and sweeter fruit. Once established, mature plants are quite drought tolerant and need only moderate rainfall, and deep roots help them through dry conditions.
Soil and nutrition requirements
Brazilian cherry can handle most soils as long as they drain well, including sand, sandy loam, clay, and soft limestone, and both acidic and alkaline soils work. The plant tolerates temporary waterlogging, but root rot can appear in soil that stays wet. A complete fertilizer applied quarterly promotes fruiting. Check young plants often, and let them settle into the spot before expecting a crop.
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Steps for Success
Set the plant in a sunny, well-drained spot, and decide where it will shelter before the first frost forecast. Plan quarterly fertilizer feedings and check the leaves for scale. Clip the top of a hedge planting to keep it dense to the ground.
Water on a steady schedule while the plant establishes, and water more often once it carries fruit. Mark spring on the calendar for flowering, with fruit following within about three weeks. Check the base of a grafted plant for suckers, and remember that a young seedling may take years to fruit.
FAQ
Is a Brazilian cherry the same as a Surinam cherry?
Yes. Surinam cherry and pitanga are other names for the Brazilian cherry plant.
What zones does a Brazilian cherry plant grow in?
USDA hardiness zones 9b through 11, with zone 9b at the cold edge of the range. Zones 10 and 11 stay warmer through winter, so those zones carry less cold risk. Protect young plants from temperatures below 28 degrees, and treat the plant as semi-hardy.
Can a Brazilian cherry plant grow in a pot?
Yes. It suits a container or above-ground planter, so use a large container with drainage holes. A pot lets you move it to shelter when frost is forecast. Water a potted plant regularly, because regular watering encourages larger, sweeter fruit.
How long does a Brazilian cherry plant take to fruit?
Some plants fruit at 2 years, and others take 5 or 6 years or longer in unfavorable conditions. Once a plant flowers, fruit ripens within about three weeks.
Does a Brazilian cherry plant need full sun?
Full sun gives the best growth, and the plant also grows in part shade and part sun. A sunny, well-drained spot suits it best.
References
University of Florida IFAS Extension, "Eugenia uniflora Surinam Cherry," https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP202
Purdue University, "Surinam Cherry," https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/surinam_cherry.html
University of Arizona Arboretum, "Eugenia uniflora," https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=976
University of Florida IFAS, "Eugenia uniflora," https://plant-directory.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/eugenia-uniflora/
