Seed Availability

Seeds are not available for the Surinam Cherry. Please visit our seed store to view current selections. Seeds were last available in February 2018.

Description

The Surinam cherry is a bush or small tree to 25ft in height. Plants can be trained as small bushes or hedge but can take on a more tree-like growth pattern. Flowering may occur several times a year, with a single moderate sized tree having thousands of flowers. Fruiting is generally profuse with hundreds or thousands of fruits per cycle and trees sometimes fruiting 2-3 times a year. There are some named varieties with most bearing red fruits. There are also lesser known, black ripening types.

Hardiness

It is adapted to both subtropical and tropical climates and is hardy to 22F when full grown.

Growing Environment

Plants like full sun and are drought tolerant, needing only moderate rainfall. Fruits develop and ripen in just 3-4 weeks from flowering. In subtropical and tropical climates the tree needs little care and seems to grow in most soil types. Irrigation is necessary in areas with minimal or seasonal rainfall.

Propagation

Almost always by seed, little attention is given to selection of superior varieties. Red type and black type forms usually come true to seed.

Uses

Eaten fresh, often with sugar, or processed into preserves.

Native Range

Native range extends from Surinam through Uruguay. Rarely cultivated or grown outside of the Americas.

Additional Pictures

Related Species

Myrtaceae
	Acmena smithii (Eugenia smithii) Lilly Pilly		Callistemon pallidus Lemon Bottlebrush
	Calyptropsidium sartorianum Sartre Guava		Campomanesia adamantium White Guabiroba
	Campomanesia guaviroba Guabiroba		Campomanesia lineatifolia Perfume Guava
	Campomanesia obversa Guavira mi		Campomanesia xanthocarpa Gabiroba
	Eucalyptus deglupta Rainbow Eucalyptus		Eugenia aggregata Cherry of the Rio Grande
	Eugenia axillaris White Stopper		Eugenia brasiliensis Grumichama
	Eugenia brogniartiana Eugenia brogniartiana		Eugenia candolleana Rainforest Plum
	Eugenia dysenterica Cagaita		Eugenia foetida Spanish Stopper
	Eugenia klotzschiana Brazilian Pear		Eugenia luschnathiana Pitomba
	Eugenia lutescens Perinha		Eugenia megacarpum Giant Lau Lau
	Eugenia patrisii Turtle Berry		Eugenia pitanga Savanna Pitanga
	Eugenia punicifolia Beach Cherry		Eugenia reinwardtiana Cedar Bay Cherry
	Eugenia selloi Pitangatuba		Eugenia stipitata Araca Boi
	Eugenia uniflora Surinam Cherry		Eugenia uvalha Uvalha
	Eugenia victoriana Sundrop		Feijoa sellowiana Feijoa
	Leptospermum laevigatum Coast Tea Tree		Melaleuca incana Gray Honey Myrtle
	Myrcianthes fragrans Simpson's Stopper		Myrcianthes pungens Guabiyu
	Myrciaria aureana White Jaboticaba		Myrciaria cauliflora Jaboticaba
	Myrciaria dubia Camu Camu		Myrciaria floribunda Rumberry
	Myrciaria glazioviana Yellow Jaboticaba		Myrciaria oblongata Sour Jaboticaba
	Myrciaria tenella Cambui		Myrciaria vexator Blue Grape
	Myrtle communis Myrtle		Pimenta dioica Allspice
	Pimenta racemosa Bay Rum		Plinia edulis Cambuca
	Psidium acutangulum Para Guava		Psidium cattleianum Strawberry Guava
	Psidium copacabanensis Copacabana Guava		Psidium eugeniaefolia Purple Forest Guava
	Psidium firmum Savanna Guava		Psidium friedrichsthalianum Cas Guava
	Psidium guajava Guava		Psidium guajava Red Malaysian Guava
	Psidium guineense Brazilian Guava		Psidium littorale (P. cattleianum lucidum) Lemon Guava
	Psidium rufum Purple Guava		Syzygium aqueum Water Apple
	Syzygium aromaticum Clove		Syzygium cordatum Water Berry
	Syzygium cuminii Java Plum		Syzygium forte White Apple
	Syzygium jambos Rose Apple		Syzygium malaccense Malay Apple
	Syzygium oleosum Blue Lilly Pilly		Syzygium paniculatum Brush Cherry
	Syzygium samarangense Wax Jambu		Syzygium suborbiculare Lady Apple
	Syzygium versteegii Syzygium versteegii		Ugni molinae Chilean Guava
	Ugni myricoides Black Chilean Guava