1 fresh seed – Plinia Nana – Dwarf Jaboticaba (ships from USA)

Description from Helton Josue’s website: https://www.colecionandofrutas.com.br/

PLINIA NANA – jabuticaba-anã

“Origin: It occurs in all sandy and cerrado fields in the north of the Midwest, in a small area covering the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás and Tocantins, Brazil.

Observations: Rare species, discovered and classified by science by Marcos Sobral in December 2005.

Characteristics: Shrub with woody underground stem, and the aerial part is branched and woody, growing from 40 to 120 cm in height, and as the meadow forms it ages several thin and sometimes forked woody branches. In sandy soils in nature the plant multiplies vegetatively by horizontal roots that emerge on the surface (root suckers). 

The flowers are cauliflowerous, born in defoliated branches or with old leaves in peduncles (stem or support) with 1 to 2.3 cm in length. The fruits are globose berries of 1.2 to 2 cm in diameter with hairiness (white fur) even when ripe, a time that acquire a purplish color. It has a thin peel and whitish gelatin pulp with 1 to 2 smooth globose seeds of 5 mm in diameter.

Tips for cultivation: Moderate growing plant that can be cultivated throughout Brazil. Appreciates yellow or red soil or sandy soil, which is deep and with an acid to neutral pH between 4.0 and 6.6. The climate of the region of its origin is subtropical dry, with minimum temperatures of up to -3C degrees in winter and maximums of 40C degrees in summer, with a rainfall ranging from 700 to 1,400 mm annually. 

The plant resists frosts of up to -3 degrees and drought of up to 5 months when it is already well established (with more than 2 years). 

** At Sitio Frutas Raras in Brazil it began to bear fruit 4 years after planting. It can be successfully grown in pots or planters, giving a beautiful ornamental appearance.

Seedlings: The seeds are small and recalcitrant (lose the germinative power if they are dried). 

Germination occurs in 40 to 70 days and the seedlings should be formed in an environment with 50% shading and receive irrigation every other day. Under these conditions they reach 20 cm with 7 to 8 months after planting. I recommend planting in a definitive place with a size of 30 cm. Ensure that seedlings in pots receive good drainage. 

Cultivating: This species does not need to be pruned. Fertilize with organic compost, it can be 1 kg organic compound + 10 gr of N-P-K 10-10-10 doubling this amount each year until the 3rd year, then maintain this fertilization.

Uses: Fruit in the months of September to November (Brazil). The fruits are very tasty and taste better or similar to the common Jaboticaba. The fruits can be used in the form of juices, jams and ice cream. [ “The pulp, aqueous, very sweet and totally devoid of acidity, does not adhere to the seed (an exclusive characteristic, among all of the Jaboticabas). H. Lorenzi] The plant is rare and needs to be cultivated to be preserved and cannot be missing in a beautiful fruit collection.”