Jabo

PLANT IT NOW

A good-looking tree with delicious fruit, jaboticaba is a winner, says PHIL DUDMAN

Looking for a tropical fruit tree with a bit of wow factor? How about jaboticaba? The purple-skinned, grape-like fruit hug the trunk and inner branches of the tree in an unusual and arresting fashion. It’s equally exciting in fl ower, with white, fl uffy, honey-scented blooms that buzz with pollinating insects.

It’s quite the show stopper!

The botanical term for plants that fl ower and fruit in this way is caulifl ory, and it occurs in a handful of other plants that you may also have seen, including coffee, jackfruit, Davidson’s plum, pawpaw and coolamon (Syzygium moorei).

The fruit form and mature very quickly after fl owering, and in some cases, you can get three crops a year – this plant is incredibly prolifi c. Eaten fresh, the fruit are deliciously sweet and juicy, with a rich and fragrant fl avour. They make a lovely jam, that, in my opinion, may even rival rosella!

The tree itself has a lovely bushy habit with a full canopy of leaves (there are fi ne and large leaf forms), and being evergreen, it makes a useful screen and shade tree.

The new leaves have a coppery tone, which is quite pleasing. Over time, the tree will naturally form a single trunk with an intricate branch structure, exposing lots of the tree’s attractive bark. It will eventually reach a height of 5–10m, but is easy to maintain at a smaller size with occasional pruning. The only frustrating thing you might find about this tree is that ut as ways s come it. The tor can also offer an advantage: jaboticaba makes a fabulous fruiting tree for a big pot, where it will be happy for years.

planting & care

Jaboticaba is native to Brazil, so it grows best in tropical and subtropical zones. It’s also worth a try in warm temperate areas that are frost-free, although it will tolerate light frost once established. It likes a sunny position with well-drained soil. In cooler, marginal areas, give it a warm spot in front of a north-facing wall.

Seed-grown plants can take eight years to bear fruit. If you can’t wait that long, buy a grafted tree, which will fruit much earlier. Before planting, add plenty of compost, and create a mound to improve drainage. Gently tease crowded roots, and plant so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil. Water deeply and keep moist for the fi rst two months, then water regularly in dry periods. Maintain a 5–10cm layer of mulch over the root zone to hold moisture in, and feed with organic fertiliser every six weeks from spring to autumn. Don’t worry about pests, as this tree is rarely troubled. GA

LOCKWISE FROM LEFT e purplish-black fruit is fragrant, sweet and juicy; branch lined with u y, white owers; coppery new rowth on the large leaf form; the fruit grows closely ong the trunk and inner branches of the tree.