Plants

The Jaboticaba, the Perfect Food Forest Addition

Most people wouldn’t be able to recognize the Jaboticaba on sight. Most wouldn’t even know what the word means. However, this unusual tree is much-beloved in the permaculture community for many reasons. The small space needed to grow the Jaboticaba, their ease of care, pest resilience and compact growth make them an easy pick for anyone trying to incorporate more edible, unusual and hardy plants into the start of their food forest.

Covered in massive quantities of purple fruit, about the size of a marble or a little larger, all along the trunk and branches during harvest season, this Brazilian tropical tree’s delicious produce is rarely found in other regions of the world. However, certain areas of both Australia and the southern United States (such as Florida) have caught on to its appeal. Likened to a grape, the fruit is said to be more vibrant and potent in flavor, with its sweet taste intensifying the longer it’s left on the tree. The flesh is white and seeded. The candy-like flavor makes it a popular ingredient when making jams and jellies, desserts and even liquer. After harvest, the fruit can be kept dried or frozen (though it doesn’t last long by itself – only about four days – which is why it’s typically only available fresh from the tree and never in the store). The intrigue alone is enough reason for some green thumbs to give it a go.

There are many agricultural benefits to adding the Jaboticaba to your food forest, however, beyond the culinary options. The tree takes a very small amount of space, so even those with limited acreage can find a spot for it. Some even add it to their landscaping, or grow it right within a pot, saying the the appearance easily adds curb appeal, making it a possible contender for urban permaculture gardens as well.

After a while, the tree will eventually, with good care, make it to about 15 metres, but this only after many decades. Many in the wild are just around 5 metres high. Vertical growth, therefore, is very, very slow, and, with the right pruning, the trees can even be cut down into more of a shrub, to save additional space. On the other hand, if you have an expansive food forest, you can mimic the Jaboticaba’s position in nature, where it grows well next to streams, as a second-story tree, protected by the canopy.

Berry Jaboticaba in bowl on wooden table

There’s no need for most pest control, as the fruit has a leathery skin that protects it from insects (while you can eat the skin along with the fruit, many do not prefer to, as it’s very astringent and has a high tannin content). The only real competition you’ll have for the fruit is the bird population.

The Jaboticaba, as it is a tropical plant, can’t grow in every climate, particularly those with long winters, but if it’s potted, you can simply keep it in a protected environment, away from intolerable frosts. It is, however, relatively hardy when it comes to different kinds of soils, and will thrive in just about any type. It needs a certain amount of shade, but, if planted in full sun, the entire tree will eventually adjust and become sun tough.

During a dry season, some owners will “trick” their Jaboticaba into producing again, by applying a larger than normal amount of water. The tree can flower and fruit up to six times per year, if conditions are just right. Other gardeners choose to ringbark part of the tree, to induce more fruiting in a different way. While some may worry this can cause lasting harm to the tree, the Jaboticaba is most usually always able to bounce right back from such harm.

When it comes to food production, this tree really shines. While it may take as few as three or as many as eight years for it to finally begin to fruit, once it does, you’ll be amazed at the amount just one tree can produce. The largest harvests begin in the late spring, with a single tree giving up hundreds of pieces of fruit, up to 100 pounds. Believe it or not, though, some individuals have had Jaboticaba trees growing on their property, without recognizing their production potential. On mature trees, the fruit is often hidden behind the outer leaves and greenery, making them easy to miss, even if they are appearing in huge quantities. Because of this, during harvest time, make sure to check the entire tree for fruit.

jaboticaba

There are several different kinds of Jaboticaba trees you can choose from. While the most popular is described above, you can also find some with larger leaves and fruit (though those aren’t as sweet), as well as some that produce yellow fruit. These less popular varieties also flower and fruit less throughout the year.

A tree that’s easy to grow for even the most novice permaculture gardener, Jaboticabas are fantastic for smaller food forests and large operations alike, as they constantly give back more than they require.

20 Comments

  1. What do you mean by intolerable frosts? I am in South Georgia in Zone 8b. We have a greenhouse and large pond at my school food forest. I plan on getting one or two for the greenhouse as insurance. Would it be foolish to plant some near the pond or somewhere else?

    1. Jaboticaba grows naturally here in Paraguay, we call it yvapuru. The temperature in winter can be as cold as -2 C (28 F?). I never saw a jaboticaba die for a frost

  2. I could use some more information about cold-hardiness. I’ve left mine out in nights of low-20s F. with no apparent damage. It’s currently in a 5 gal. Rootmaker pot and somewhat shaded, which helps with cold exposure, but I’d like to put it out in the Forest Garden, where it would be more exposed.

  3. One of my favourite trees. The fruits really are delicious. The tree does really well in Durban’s sub-tropical climate, and I’m growing several from seed. Keen for a good harvest in the coming years!

    1. That’s good news Deon. In Durban too. I have one in a pot, while we rent. I cant wait to plant it, and look for as many other sub tropical fruit trees beyond the usual, to plant along with it. I will try cuttings too.

      1. Hi. I reside in Swellendam Cape Town. Where can I purchase the jaboticaba tree in Cape Town ? Or would anyone be so kind to sell me a seedling.
        Kind regards

    2. Hi Deon, what’s the possibility to sell such a tree to Namibia? I would like to give growing such a tree a chance but South Africa would be the closest I could source it from.

  4. The information on Jaboticaba interests me. Various forms are mentioned but no scientific name was provided to help determine which form to look for. I notice Eric Toensmeier mentions this fruit fleetingly in Perenniel Vegetables, but no further information. Do you know the genus and species names?

    1. In wikipediai spanish they call it Myrciaria cauliflora. In wikipedia english Plinia cauliflora. I have at least two varieties in our farm.

  5. Yes a lovely and unusual fruit that I do look forward to every time it flowers. Unfortunately here on the Southern outskirts of Brisbane, Queensland Australia, the sap sucking insects (similar to a skinny elongated shield/stink bug) failed to read the above article about pest tolerance, which means I find myself stealthily sneaking up very close underneath them with an empty honey pot filled with soapy water, then scaring them from above with my other hand. They usually dive down for safety and often land in the soapy water before they can open their wings to fly away. A bit of a process but as I have never yet had a monster crop, every Jaboticaba is precious. Yes the possums think so also…. Enjoyed the article none the less.

  6. I love our jaboticaba tree. It is 37 years old, about that many feet high. It is a slow growing tree compared to almost anything else in this climate. ( Coastal, windward Hawaii) Ours gets much of our grey water and relatively abundant rain. It bears 4-5 times a year. Many years ago our children devised an ingenious way to pick the fruit. They couldn’t climb the tree without knocking down the crop, so they used PVC tubes ( 1&1/2″ diameter and 4-6′ long to gently dislodge the berries down the pipes and into their hands

  7. In our small farm in Brazil the old Jaboticaba-trees are the first after the dry season to fill the air with the heavenly scent of their blossom. We do not like the berries that much (we are a bit lazy to take off the skin), but the wildlife and our goats do, so for these reasonz we love the trees very much. Indeed a tree worth planting!
    The locals say that it is best to prune the vertical branches that sprout below. It seems to stimulate fruit growing in the main tree.

  8. Growing well in Sydney -2c to +45c have managed to keep it to a reasonable level with gentle pruning and by leaving as much trunk as possible not dramatically affecting the crop… also the article doesn’t mention that the fruit changes taste depending on how ripe it is… just another advantage to growing this tree

  9. I’m from Brazil, and I grow up eating “Jabuticaba” as We say there. I just got a small tree and planted in my backyard. I leave in Florida so I expect to get lots of them in the future. Its also super cool the way the fruit grows, and amazing rounded. If you can get one, I really recommend to plant one, your neighbors will be amazed by this fruit!

  10. Hello Jaboticaba Growers,
    I was so excited to find that there are blossoms on our tree which used to be in a pot and about a year ago we transferred it to the ground. it was about five feet tall when we bought it two years ago. I live in Orange County, in Southern California. I don’t know if those flowers will turn into fruit.

  11. Hi everyone. I have fruiting Sabara but would like to get it to make more flowers. Any advice for me? I am in South Africa, Pretoria North. Thanks

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