Myrtaceae
How to identify a jaboticaba tree
Plinia cauliflora · also called jabuticaba (Portuguese)
Famously cauliflorous — grape-like purple-black fruit erupts directly from the trunk and older branches. Sweet, winy pulp eaten fresh or made into wine and jelly; notoriously slow to reach first fruit but long-lived and highly ornamental.
Field marks
These features are typical of the genus Plinia, so they help confirm you are looking at the right group; the fruit and the details below separate the species.
- Leaves are small and opposite.
- Flowers and the dark purple, grape-like fruit grow directly on the trunk and main branches, the most recognisable feature of the genus.
Check a photo
Photograph one whole, mature leaf from above, or a flower or fruit, and the identifier will return ranked matches. If jaboticaba 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 (Atlantic Forest / south-central Brazil)
- USDA zones
- 9b-11
- Climate
- Subtropical to tropical — notably more cold-tolerant than many Myrtaceae fruit trees; slow but sturdy, tolerates years in a container.
- Fruiting season
- Season not documented; check local sources
- How often grown
- Uncommon in cultivation
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 8-15 yrs; grafted 4-6 yrs
- Propagation
- Grafting, seed.
Relatives in the Myrtaceae family
Close relatives share many features, so these are the most likely mix-ups.
- Suriname cherryEugenia uniflora
- GrumichamaEugenia brasiliensis
- PitangatubaEugenia neonitida
- GuavaPsidium guajava
- Strawberry guavaPsidium cattleyanum
- Camu camuMyrciaria dubia
- Wax appleSyzygium samarangense
- Malay appleSyzygium malaccense
Map your jaboticaba 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