Birchberry
Myrcia splendens

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A small evergreen tree. It grows 3-15 m tall. The trunk is 20 cm across. The leaves are long and pointed and shiny. The leaves are narrowly oval and 5-15 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. The flowers occur in clusters at the ends of branches. The flowering shoots are 12 cm long. They are white and have a sweet smell. The fruit is fleshy. It is green when young but ripens to a dark blue of black. The fruit is oblong and 1-1.5 cm across. There is a large single seed in each fruit.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Brazil it has been recorded at 700 m above sea level and in Peru at 1,100 m.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti (country/location of origin), Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw and also used in jams and preserves.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ahashi, Ahuashi yacu, Arrayan lanoso, Azedinho, Baicamim, Cambui, Comecara, Curame, Escoboncito, Frutinheira, Goejaba, Guayabo negro, Guipiuna, Hoja menuda, Ibbibanaru, Jamba, Jambro, Mahcho'kai men, Mama menuda, Meerilang, Migua, Moja menura, Murta, Pakatmaya saka, Pimento, Pixuna, Powisi-pepre, Rama menuda, Rupina, Saca, Saca blanca, Saka, Saraiso, Sekrepatoe-kersi, Shakai numi, Tinajero, Turro, Vicho caspi

Synonyms

Myrcia berberis DC.; Myrica fallax (A. Rich.) DC.; Myrcia humboldtiana DC.; Myrcia martinicensis Krug & Urb.; Myrcia negrensis Berg.; Myrcia spruceana Berg.; Myrcia superba O. Berg.; Myrtus splendens Sw.; and many others