Jamaican cherry grow and care – tree or shrub of the genus Muntingia also known as Panama berry or Muntingia calabura, Jamaican cherry perennial evergreen plant, used for the edible fruits, also used as ornamental plant and can be shade tree, grow in tropic, subtropical or mediterranean climate and growing in cold hardiness zone 10+.
Flower color white with yellow stamens the flowers have bad smell.
What is the best way to start growing? Plant / Seed – Explanation bellow / Cutting – it is possible to start with cutting but it’s harder to take care than to start buy seeds, requirements: moist soil, high humidity, peat soil, hormone for root growth
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but possible in a case that the fruits small and not enough juicy
Difficulties or problems when growing: Invasive, aggressive
Planting season: Spring to autumn possible but better in hardiness zone 10a spring to summer, hardiness zone 10b-11 spring to autumn, hardiness zone all year
Pests and diseases: Aphids (not fatal)
Pruning season: Autumn / Winter (after the fruit)
How to prune: Recommend to prune it
Size of the plant: 4-12 m, 12-38 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition: Fast growing
Water requirement: Average amount of water / Big amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun / Half Shade
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes, when growing in containers need to keep the plants small, start with pot that will be 100%-200% bigger than the roots ball, the tree grow fast in the right condition, every time that the tree arrive to full capacity need to switch to bigger until arrives to desirable size, switch the soil every few years because the soil lose the viability over time and it’s efficient, need to use rich soil and possible to use peat soil and or potting mix, put a bottom for the container and when water the plant let it fill the bottom but also need to dry before watering again.
Blooming information
Bloom season: Spring in hardiness zone 10a, spring to summer hardiness zone 10, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11, all year in hardiness zone 12
General information about the flower Short life white flowers with yellow stamens
Pollination is done by: Bees
Edible Fruits
Fruit harvest season: Spring to summer in hardiness zone 10a, spring to autumn hardiness zone 10-11, all year in hardiness zone 12
Fruits pests or diseases: Birds, fruit fly, bats
What can be done with big quantities of Jamaican cherry fruits? Eat raw, Jams, juice, ice cream
Work requirements on the fruit: Better to pick it from the tree but possible to put net under and tree and pick, (the fruit that fall from the tree less for eaten raw)
How long does it take to bear fruit? 2-3 years
Jamaican cherry seeds
Sowing requirement: Moist soil, humidity, if there is enough seeds just put them direct in the garden in sunny location keep the soil moist and it will grow
Saving seeds until sowing: Dry and dark location
Sowing season: Spring – better in spring but possible also in the summer and in tropical climate possible all year
Planting spacing: In different pots, or just to through a lot if seeds in hole and choose the better quality
Depth of Sowing: 2-4mm
Conditions for seeds germinate: moist soil, high humidity, hot weather
Watering requires for Seeds: Average amount of water
Germination time: 1 week until 1 year and even more (5 years after sow still germinate in the garden)
Condition of seedling: Full sun, moist soil, watering regular and better humidity
Scientific name:
Muntingia calabura
Alternative names: Calabur tree, Capulin cherry, Jamaica cherry, Panama berry, Jamfruit tree, Cotton candy fruit tree, Jamaican strawberry tree
