Jaboticaba

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Jaboticaba (lat. Myrciaria caulifloria) - fruit crop; tree of the Myrtle family. Another name is Brazilian grapes. Homeland - Southern Brazil. Today, the culture is widely cultivated in Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, Panama, Argentina, Cuba and the Philippines.

Characteristics of culture

Jaboticaba is a slow-growing evergreen tree up to 12 m tall with a pinkish bark covered with gray spots. Leaves are leathery, oval, up to 10 mm long, have a rich smell, characteristic of most members of the Myrtle family. With the onset of winter, some of the leaves fall off, and with the onset of spring, young pink leaves appear in their place, which eventually acquire a dark green color. The flowers are white, four-petaled, located on the main branches and trunk of the tree. A similar phenomenon is called caulifloria, the jackfruit and cocoa plants have the same feature.

The fruit is an elliptical or round drupe up to 4 cm in diameter. The skin of the fruit is glossy, dark purple or almost black in color. The pulp of the fruit is white or pinkish, has a jelly-like consistency and a sweet taste with a slight bitterness. Full ripening of the fruit occurs in 3-4 weeks. Jaboticaba bears fruit several times a year, usually from early spring to late autumn, but under optimal conditions it bears fruit even in winter.

Growing conditions

Jaboticaba thrives and bears abundant fruit on light, well-drained, slightly acidic or neutral soils. The culture does not tolerate salinity, compacted and strongly acidic soils. For home cultivation, a humus-free soil substrate based on coconut fiber or peat is used. High-quality drainage in this case is also required. Jaboticaba is a light-loving and thermophilic plant, loves intensely lit places, sensitive to frost.

Growing

Jaboticabu is propagated by seeds and grafting. The second method allows you to get the first fruits in 3-4 years, with the seed method only for 10-12 years. Jaboticaba seeds are known to be poorly stored and must be sown immediately after harvest. It is for this reason that in Russia and European countries, jaboticaba is a rare guest, and it is grown exclusively at home. Culture inputs appear on day 30-40.

The first 10-12 months of life, plants develop very slowly, to speed up the process, it is necessary to regularly water and fertilize with complex mineral fertilizers. Young plants need light shading. As the jabothikab grows, it is transplanted into larger containers. If this is not possible, you can shorten the roots of the plant by 1/3 part.

Care

Watering is regular, it cannot be allowed to dry out. Fertilizers are applied every month, from spring to autumn. Top dressing accelerates plant growth. The introduction of iron preparations and other trace elements is also necessary, in this case it will be possible to avoid chlorosis. Jaboticaba does not need pruning, although the culture is neutral about this procedure. It is important to promptly remove heavy branches located in the upper part of the crown, as well as dry and thickening branches. Pruning the yield of plants does not reduce, because the fruits are formed mainly on the trunk and main branches.

Harvesting

Harvesting is carried out every 2-3 days (as it ripens). For transportation and longer storage, jaboticaba fruits are harvested unripe. Due to the rapid deterioration, the fruits are sold only in places of growth.

Usage

Jaboticaba fruits contain a huge amount of vitamins, pectin and minerals, as well as organic acids. Jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade and juices are made from the fruits. Jaboticaba fruits are used for making red wine and food coloring. The fruits are stored for a very short period (no more than 3 days), then they begin to ferment. Jaboticaba has a number of beneficial properties, and is often used to treat tonsil inflammation, asthma, and diarrhea.