Anyone growing Ugni myricoides?

[nullzero]

I am growing Ugni myricoides now and have been growing Ugni molinae. Ugni myricoides is reported to have larger fruit and tolerant of more tropical conditions compared to U. molinae. I wanted to know if anyone has tasted the fruit of U. myricoides. I am going to update some pictures of the two plants.

[emegar]

I'm growing both as well, Stephen, but they're not fruiting yet.  I belive I read somewhere that U. myricoides has a wilder, more resinous flavor than U. molinae, but I can't swear to it.

[nullzero]

I'm growing both as well, Stephen, but they're not fruiting yet.  I belive I read somewhere that U. myricoides has a wilder, more resinous flavor than U. molinae, but I can't swear to it.

I guess I will have to wait and see, I heard the two can cross. Would be interesting to see how future hybrid seedlings turn out.

[Solko]

Hi nullzero and emegar.
I am also growing this one, but it is still small. Did you ever get any fruit? And could you give an update on the taste yet?

[barath]

I'm growing it and find that it fruits heavily and continuously, and is more precocious than normal ugni.  The fruit are solid black when fully mature, but hang for a long time (and I usually eat them before they get fully black).  They're slightly larger than normal ugni -- like the size of an average blueberry.  I think they taste a little spicier than ugni, but with the same general flavor (maybe a hint of clove flavor).

[simon_grow]

Barath, do you like the flavor of this more than U Molinae? I really like U Molinae but the fruit are so small. This species sounds very promising but I'm not sure about the clove taste.

Simon

[barath]

I think I like the flavor of Ugni molinae better -- I find that I want to keep eating Ugni molinae whereas after eating a few of Ugni myricoides I take a break.  The fruit is still tasty and is bigger than U. molinae, and even when the plant is small it will produce well, so I think it's worth growing.

I'm rooting some U. myricoides right now to send to Ben Poirier, and can root more if others want some rooted cuttings.  I also got a plant of a supposedly large-fruited U. molinae from Ben.  Also, I'd really like to get cuttings or seeds from the "Ka-pow" cultivar of U. molinae selected in the UK by James Wong, but I haven't figured out how (the UK nurseries only sell it locally).

[Solko]

Hi Barath,

Thanks for the taste-report on the Myrcoides.
I think the Ugni species are interesting and worthwhile for my climate here in France and I am growing both Molinae and Myrcoides now. I have been trying, but I have not yet found a way to get the Ka Pow variety from the UK, but I'll let you know when I succeed. I have also heard of a large fruiting cultivar that grows here in Normandy and Britain, which I am trying to track down. Most nursery-websites in the UK are out of stock at the moment for the Ka Pow. I'll let you know what I can find in the coming months. Do you think there are restrictions on sending Ugni scionwood to the US?

[SocalKoop]

My dog loves the uni Myrcoides far above the normal Molinae.  In early spring, he ate all 3 plants i had of the black variety, and only 1 of the plain Chilean guava plants. After obtaining another U. Myrcoides to replace what was lost, he broke through a fence to consume that one as well. Neither he nor I can give input to the taste of the actual fruit of the black variety, but he gives the roots "2 paws up", being the part of the plant he ate.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Myrteola nummularia...called cranberry myrtle in Britain, close relative of Ugni.  I have tasted them, quite nice flavor.  No producing plants yet, but worth growing.

[barath]

Jack, were the M. nummularia fruits you tried as big as ugni?  Tom A. shared some with me last year, and they did have an ugni-like taste but they were tiny fruits.

[Jack, Nipomo]

Smaller Barath, but quite good.  Germinated seeds, but still pretty small.  I like their origin and ability to grow in the cold and shady areas.  Same source as you.

[Solko]

Ha ha, Socalkoop, I see your dog is a real conaisseur!

Jack and Barath, I've been looking for Myrteola plants or seeds here in Europe, but haven't been lucky so far. I've also googled cranberry myrtle on most UK nureseries, but nada... It sounds like a plant I would love to grow, since I am more in a warm temperate than real subtropical climate. Does anyone of you know a source for seeds? They should be in season now, or soon...

[barath]

SacredSucculents might have some -- not sure if they ship internationally, but you can ask.

[Solko]

Thanks, Barath, I'll try that.

[Paulish]

Had a couple black ugni Myriocoides specimens growing in containers that all died off suddenly; perhaps due to several intense heat spells last year. I'm interested in getting some more going and rooted cuttings would be awesome.

Any news regarding Ugni myricoides / molinae cultivars?

[Solko]

I also lost some potted plants in a heat spell. I think the root system of Ugni cannot handle high temperatures or a sudden and large increase in temperature. The plants in the ground or in larger pots did fine.

There is some buzz about the Ka-pow cultivar, but it is not sold outside of the UK, so no personal experience. I have also heard of a German cultivar called 'Elite' that is supposed to produce a good yield. Haven't found that one yet either.
I have bought different plants labeled as "Ugni Molinae" in the Netherlands and I have grown some from seed I got from the US. Last year I bought two plants in France, one Ugni Molinae and one Ugni Myricoides. The last two plants from France look very different from each other, but also quite different of all the other Ugni Molinae's I had grown before. All those now look to me like an intermediate form between the two French plants.
So it seems to me that either Ugni Molinae can grow very different leaves in different growing conditions, or somewhere along the line the two species got crossed and what is sold as Ugni Molinae in some places actually has genetics of both.

Here are some pictures of the two French plants that are most distinct from each other:
Ugni Molinae at the top, Ugni Myricoides at the bottom:



Close-up with flower buds forming on Ugni Molinae:



And a close-up of Ugni Myricoides:

[barath]

I also lost some potted plants in a heat spell. I think the root system of Ugni cannot handle high temperatures or a sudden and large increase in temperature. The plants in the ground or in larger pots did fine.

There is some buzz about the Ka-pow cultivar, but it is not sold outside of the UK, so no personal experience. I have also heard of a German cultivar called 'Elite' that is supposed to produce a good yield. Haven't found that one yet either.
I have bought different plants labeled as "Ugni Molinae" in the Netherlands and I have grown some from seed I got from the US. Last year I bought two plants in France, one Ugni Molinae and one Ugni Myricoides. The last two plants from France look very different from each other, but also quite different of all the other Ugni Molinae's I had grown before. All those now look to me like an intermediate form between the two French plants.
So it seems to me that either Ugni Molinae can grow very different leaves in different growing conditions, or somewhere along the line the two species got crossed and what is sold as Ugni Molinae in some places actually has genetics of both.

Here are some pictures of the two French plants that are most distinct from each other:
Ugni Molinae at the top, Ugni Myricoides at the bottom:



Close-up with flower buds forming on Ugni Molinae:



And a close-up of Ugni Myricoides:

Interesting report.  I've noticed that the Ugni available in Northern California are of both leaf types (rounded and pointy) but have yet to figure out the difference otherwise.

Your U. myricoides has much longer leaves than the ones I'm growing.

[greeny]

The german shop deaflora
has quite a few interesting ugni cultivars like elite, burning pink, villarica, butterball, ..

[barath]

The german shop deaflora
has quite a few interesting ugni cultivars like elite, burning pink, villarica, butterball, ..

"Big Burning Pink", "Elite", "Villarica" seem particularly worth getting.  Any chance we could get cuttings from you sometime if you do purchase those?

[Solko]

Hey, thanks for the tip, greeny  I am going to see if they ship to France. These look like interesting cultivars!

[achetadomestica]

I think I like the flavor of Ugni molinae better -- I find that I want to keep eating Ugni molinae whereas after eating a few of Ugni myricoides I take a break.  The fruit is still tasty and is bigger than U. molinae, and even when the plant is small it will produce well, so I think it's worth growing.

I'm rooting some U. myricoides right now to send to Ben Poirier, and can root more if others want some rooted cuttings.  I also got a plant of a supposedly large-fruited U. molinae from Ben.  Also, I'd really like to get cuttings or seeds from the "Ka-pow" cultivar of U. molinae selected in the UK by James Wong, but I haven't figured out how (the UK nurseries only sell it locally).

pm sent

[Grapebush]

Hey, thanks for the tip, greeny  I am going to see if they ship to France. These look like interesting cultivars!

Solko, if you look at "Versand" on the left side, they say, they ship, to all EU countries, and indicate the prices, by weight.
Just check it here: http://www.deaflora.de/info/liefer--und-versandkosten.html

[greeny]

The german shop deaflora
has quite a few interesting ugni cultivars like elite, burning pink, villarica, butterball, ..

"Big Burning Pink", "Elite", "Villarica" seem particularly worth getting.  Any chance we could get cuttings from you sometime if you do purchase those?

In fact i bought all of them last year and the arranyan varieties too.
I am not sure if i could sent any cuttings or plants to usa because I have no
experience with exporting plants to us.

[barath]

The german shop deaflora
has quite a few interesting ugni cultivars like elite, burning pink, villarica, butterball, ..

"Big Burning Pink", "Elite", "Villarica" seem particularly worth getting.  Any chance we could get cuttings from you sometime if you do purchase those?

In fact i bought all of them last year and the arranyan varieties too.
I am not sure if i could sent any cuttings or plants to usa because I have no
experience with exporting plants to us.

Perhaps then we could get a mix of seeds from you sometime?  That might be easier for you, and might still have some of the interesting genetics, especially of the larger / sweeter fruits.