Cambuca, Edible plinia
Plinia edulis

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 5-10 m high. The crown is pyramid shape and has a dense covering of leaves. The trunk is short and 30-40 cm across. The bark is thin and orange-red. It peels off. The leaves are simple and smooth on top but slightly rough underneath. They are 12-17 cm long. The flowers are in small groups on the stems and branches. The fruit is round and ribbed. It is orange-yellow. It has yellow pulp and a large seed.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in Brazil in the forest near rivers towards the Atlantic.

Countries/locations it is found in

Brazil (country/location of origin), Cuba, South America, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw or made into juice.

It is a cultivated fruit tree. The fruit are populated.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The ripe fruit are harvested and the seed removed and dried in the shade. The seed only remain viable for a short time. Fresh seed should be planted and they germinate in 40-100 days. Seedlings are rady to trnsplant in the field after 10 months.

Plants grow slowly.

Its other names

Local names

Ambucazeiro, Cambuca-verdadeiro, Cambucazeiro, Guayaba pilosa, Yellow jaboticaba

Synonyms

Eugenia edulis Vell.; Eugenia plicato-costata (O. Berg) Glaz.; Marlierea edulis Nied.; Myrciaria edulis (Vell.) Skeels; Rubachia glomerata O. Berg.; and others