Eugenia uniflora (Pitanga, Surinam Cherry)

Evergreen, to 23 feet tall tree or shrub with slender branches from the family Mrytaceae. The leaves are opposited, egg-shaped to lanceolate, 1.2 to 2.4 inches long and approx. 0.8 to 1.6 inches wide, leaf-blade glossy, darkgreen and pointed. The flowers are single or in small groups, are long-stalked and fragant. White, reflexed petals, numerous pale yellow stamens. The fruits are red or violetred berry fruits. These are flattened spherical with 6 to 8 prominent ribs. The pulp is juicy, orangered colored and has one sweet-sourish aromatic with light resinous aftertaste. the pitanga is originated in the tropicals South America in Brazil, French-Guayana, Guayana, Suriname and in Uruguay. It is widthspreaded  as ornamental and agricultural plant in many tropical countries.

The fruits are eaten in-natura as fresh fruit. But they should be ripen out, otherwise they will taste resinous. They are very suitable for production of juices, nutrients and as garnishes on tarts. To mitigate the resinous taste, the open cutten and gutted fruits should be stored in the refrigerator for some hoursr The fruits are also suitable for the production of jellies. In Brazil one aromatic vinegar is made from the juice. Also one extract of the leaves is used in Brazil against fever and colds.

In many countries the pitanga is one popular ornamental plant and is often grown as hedge. The plant is cold tolerant and could also be grown in wintergardens or in the Mediterrean climate outdoors, perhaps it can be grown also in Germany on Heligoland outdoors. Its cold hardiness and its tolerance against salty seawinds of the North Sea are still untested.

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Created by Joachim Jaeck on December 1st, 2009