Growing Jaboticaba in New Zealand

Jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) is a subtropical fruit tree famous for its unusual habit of producing fruit directly on the trunk and branches, a feature called cauliflory. This makes it instantly recognisable and highly productive when established. The fruit is very sweet, similar in flavour to purple mangosteen, and is best enjoyed fresh, though they can be so productive that they can also be used for jams, wines, and juices. Many people recognise them from viral posts on social media, or you are likely to be very familiar if you are from their native home of Brazil or Argentina. We believe everybody should be growing these as it’s a first class fruit which just happens to be incredibly ornamental.

Time to Fruiting

Seed-grown jaboticaba can take between 3 and 30 years depending on the variety! The most common type, Sabara, often takes around 12 years in New Zealand, more or less. The Red variety can produce in just 3-5 years. Plants grafted from fruiting material can produce fruit in as little as 12 months.

Pollination

Jaboticaba is generally self-fertile, meaning a single tree can set fruit. However, planting more than one tree can increase yields.

Growing Conditions

The tree prefers fertile, well-draining soil that retains some moisture. It tolerates a range of soils, including sandy or loamy types. Jaboticaba grows well in full sun or partial shade, though fruiting may be reduced in heavy shade. Young trees benefit from a bit of shade and protection from frost and strong winds. They are not drought tolerant and can handle our wet winters well.

Cold Tolerance

Mature jaboticaba trees are moderately frost-tolerant, but seedlings and young plants should be protected from cold conditions. In cooler regions, container growing is a practical option, allowing trees to be moved indoors or into sheltered positions during winter.

Maintenance

Jaboticaba grows slowly into a small to medium-sized, rounded tree. Minimal pruning is required, generally limited to removing dead or crossing branches or shaping the canopy. We recommend pruning in a way that allows plenty of sunlight to hit the trunk, removing minor branches as it grows. Fertiliser should be applied similarly to other fruit trees, and consistent soil moisture is important for optimal fruiting – they are not fussy but enjoy acidic fertiliser.

Varieties

• Sabara: The most common variety on account of its good flavour. Often takes 12+ years to begin fruiting from seed and produces medium sized fruit, just bigger than a grape.
• Paulista: Extra large fruit with a thick skin and sweet flavour. Possibly one of the most ornamental, producing flushes of deep-red growth. Often takes between 15-30 years to begin fruiting, having one of the longest juvenile periods.
• Grimal: Produces a large fruit with a unique flavour. The tree also has extra large leaves and a reddish foliage, producing fruit in around 8-10 years. It is sometimes called “Large Leaf” in AU/NZ, but confusingly not all “Large Leaf” are Grimal!
• Red: One of the fastest fruiting types, it makes a medium-sized fruit which is sweeter than most. Not only can they fruit in just 3-5 years from seed, they also produce fruit consistently throughout the year rather than 2-3 large crops.
• Yellow Jaboticaba: Technically not a true jaboticaba, instead a closely related cousin, has highly ornamental foliage and can produce small fruit with an intensely sweet apricot and pineapple flavour within just 3-5 years. Surprisingly cold tolerant as well. We grow a variety called Cabeludinha da Cruz which produces larger fruit with more pulp.
• Otto Anderson Selection: An extra large fruit said to have the best flavour of them all. It was the top rated fruit in Professor Otto Anderson’s famous collection. It is said to take around 12 years to fruit from seed. We have trees growing and hope to make more available shortly.
• Aču Paulista: Another Otto Anderson collection variety. The fruit is also large with good flavour, it is productive and said to fruit in as little as 4 years.
• Polpa Rosea: A rare variety from Brazil that has pink flesh (most are white) and a highly ornamental foliage, known to fruit in as little as 7 years.
• Pingo de Mel: Translates to “drop of honey”, and as the name suggests it is one of the sweetest and is grown commercially in Brazil. It is reported to fruit around 7-8 years but possibly longer.
• … and many others! If you are after a particular variety or would like help identifying what you have, let us know.