Jaboticaba: The Tree Hugging Fruit From Brazil

This fruit bearing tree with the funny name is little known outside its natural range. Perhaps the most popular native tree of Brazil, other areas may not recognize this tree at all.  That is, unless you mention its family name – myrtle.  Then the tree with the thin bark that sheds becomes more familiar.  But, there's so much more to learn about. Let's take a look at this fun tree with the crazy name.

What is it?

A jaboticaba tree in full bloom is a beautiful example of 'cauliflory' which means the flowers of the tree appear on the main trunk or branches of the tree instead of in the leaves. The fruit matures from these flowers so they end up clinging to the trunk and branches rather than hanging. This gives the tree a unique appearance, at least to those outside of Brazil. These trees are grown in the interior of a region because they don't do well in salty soil and air conditions, such as by the ocean. The fruit's skin is tough and will prevent bruising if shipped carefully, but the fruit has a very limited shelf life and will start to ferment quickly once harvested. This is another reason we don't see jaboticaba fruit often outside of its native region.

The tree has salmon-colored leaves when young, then turning green as the tree gets older. These are very slow growing trees which prefer moist acidic soils. When the tree is tended and irrigated routinely, it will produce fruit year round. Even though jaboticaba species are subtropical, they can tolerate mild, brief frosts. Cultivation of the fruit in the Northern Hemisphere isn't so much hampered by temperature and climate as it is by the tree's very slow growth and the short shelf-life of the fruit, making it commercially undesirable.  Seed grown trees may take up to 20 years to bear fruit, making this tree not very popular as an orchard tree but very popular for bonsai and ornamental container planting.

History

One of the earliest mentions of the jaboticaba tree found in Brazil was in a publication in Amsterdam in 1658. It wasn't until 1904 that the United States received the first trees in California, but all disappeared by 1939.  Florida received one variety of the jaboticaba tree in 1911 which finally started bearing fruit in 1932. Seeds and seedlings were sent throughout the years to many other locations, including Cuba, Honduras, and the Philippines. In the 1940s an experimental garden was established once again in Florida and soon started producing trees for sale for home gardens as ornamental trees. This tree survived a hurricane in 1926 that wiped out a large nursery only because two of the seedlings had been taken out and planted in a private home garden. Trees from these two surviving seedlings flourished and were sent out to find root in Panama and Columbia. The struggles to get these trees established was certainly worth it. This is one unusual tree that will always be noticed and appreciated.

Health Benefits

In Brazil, the skins of the fruit are traditionally dried and steeped to use as a treatment for upper respiratory ailments, as well as diarrhea and dysentery. This liquid is also used as a gargle to sooth inflammation of the throat and tonsils. Several potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds are found in the fruit, including a compound called jaboticabin. These compounds have been shown to have both colon cancer and lung cancer fighting elements. The fruit is also a good source of Vitamin C.  One negative about the fruit is the skin has a high tannin content and should not be eaten frequently or in large quantities because tannin is a known carcinogenic.

Fun Fact

One of the most interesting facts about the Jaboticaba is the way the flowers and fruit grow.  As we mentioned, instead of the flowers and fruit blossoming and growing in the leaves, they actually sprout and cling to the tree's trunk and larger branches. This gives the tree a funny look when it has fruit; sort of like someone stuck big grapes all over it. The name itself is also fun. It is pronounced either JA-bo-ti-ca-ba or ja-BO-ti-ca-ba. 

How to Eat

The fruit is small in size, about 1 inch, more or less, and has usually about 3 or 4 seeds.  The skin is rather thick and purplish in color, and not typically recommended for eating. The insides are sweet, and either white in color or light pink, with a rather gel-like flesh. Jaboticabas are typically eaten fresh and in Brazil have a popularity that is similar to the popularity of grapes in the US and similar regions. When eaten fresh, the method is to squeeze the fruit until the skin splits, then pop the inside of the fruit out of the skin and into your mouth, spitting out the seeds.

Jaboticaba fruit has a very short shelf life, making it pretty much unknown in parts of the world which this plant is not grown. The fruit starts to ferment within days after harvested, which actually makes the production of wines and liqueurs a favorite use.  If you are lucky enough to have a jaboticaba tree in your backyard, you can use the fresh fruit to make jelly or marmalade, again removing at least some of the skin before you do to avoid the tannins. The skins should also be removed if you make any sort of beverage with the fruit. Other than these uses, if you have fresh jaboticaba fruit available, go ahead and peel it, take out the seeds and mix up a fruit salad, make sherbet, or bake a cobbler. 

This funny looking fruit tree with the crazy name is definitely something you won't forget once you see it.  If you're ever in a region that grows these trees, it's well worth the trip to pick a handful of jaboticaba fruit from the trunk and enjoy its juicy goodness.