Surinam Cherry Tree (Pitanga)

About the Surinam Cherry Tree (Pitanga)

Pitanga, or Surinam cherry, is a small tree or large shrub that bears glossy, ribbed fruit shaped like tiny pumpkins. As they ripen from orange to deep red or almost black, they become juicy, sweet and tangy, with a distinctive resinous note that makes them perfect for juices, jams, sorbets and sauces. Pick them fully ripe, when they fall into your hand, for the best flavour. The plant has aromatic leaves with bronze new growth and responds well to clipping, so it makes a productive hedge or a neat potted specimen. Grown on our farms in Yucatán and Chiapas and shipped via DHL.

How to Care for It

Plant in full sun or light shade in well-drained soil; it is not fussy about soil type. Water regularly for the best crops, though established plants tolerate some drought. Feed with a balanced fertiliser in spring and after fruiting. Mature plants handle light frost. Prune or clip after harvest to maintain a hedge or compact shape; it regrows readily.

The backbone of a tropical orchard. Mangoes, Booth 8 avocado, red mamey, chicozapote, carambola, dwarf coconuts, jackfruit and dragon fruit: reliable, productive trees that thrive in Mexico's warm lowlands and coasts, grown on our farms and shipped by DHL.

Growing Profile

Botanical name

Eugenia uniflora

Family

Myrtaceae

Native to

Eastern South America (Brazil to Uruguay)

Mature height

3–5 m

Plant spacing

3 m

Years to first fruit

2–3 years

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Cold tolerance

down to -3 °C

Best climates

Humid tropics, Dry tropics, Subtropical, Mild highlands

Grows in a pot

Yes

Ships from

Our farms in Yucatán & Chiapas