Myrtaceae
How to identify a Suriname cherry tree
Eugenia uniflora · also called pitanga (Portuguese)
Ribbed, lantern-shaped fruit ripening red to near-black with a resinous, sweet-tart flavor some find an acquired taste. Fast to bear and drought-tough; often planted as an edible hedge as much as for its fruit.
Field marks
These features are typical of the genus Eugenia, so they help confirm you are looking at the right group; the fruit and the details below separate the species.
- Leaves are opposite and glossy, and smell aromatic when crushed, as in most of the myrtle family.
- Fruit is small and cherry-like; Suriname cherry's is distinctly ribbed.
Check a photo
Photograph one whole, mature leaf from above, or a flower or fruit, and the identifier will return ranked matches. If Suriname cherry is the top result, the field marks above are your second opinion.
Leaves, flowers, fruit, or bark — closer and sharper identifies better. Your photo is identified and discarded, never stored.
Where and when you will find it
- Origin / cultivation history
- Brazil / South America
- USDA zones
- 9b-11
- Climate
- Subtropical to tropical — one of the more cold- and drought-tolerant Myrtaceae fruit trees; also widely used as a clipped hedge.
- Fruiting season
- March, April and May (typical, Northern Hemisphere)
- How often grown
- Widely grown
Fruit is the most reliable way to confirm an identification, so March, April and May is the easiest window. Outside it, rely on the leaves and the overall habit. A tree growing well outside the climate above is more likely to be a look-alike.
Growing it: seedling or grafted?
A young tree with no fruit is harder to identify and easy to mislabel, so it helps to know how long it takes to reach fruiting age and how it is usually propagated.
- Years to first fruit
- Seedling 2-4 yrs
- Propagation
- Seed, cuttings.
Relatives in the Myrtaceae family
Close relatives share many features, so these are the most likely mix-ups.
- JaboticabaPlinia cauliflora
- GrumichamaEugenia brasiliensis
- PitangatubaEugenia neonitida
- GuavaPsidium guajava
- Strawberry guavaPsidium cattleyanum
- Camu camuMyrciaria dubia
- Wax appleSyzygium samarangense
- Malay appleSyzygium malaccense
Map your Suriname cherry trees
CanopyTwin keeps every tree on a map with its species, cultivar, photos and history, and counts flowers and fruit from survey photos. It is built for orchards, nurseries and collectors of tropical and rare fruit.
More identification guides: free plant identifier · tropical fruit tree identifier · fruit tree identifier · all species guides