Myrceugenia growing experiences

[Zpusher]

I've recently become really interested in the Myrceugenia genus,  not only for their ornamental value but also for the possible edibility of the various fruits of this genus. Various sp. from this genus also seem to be pretty Hardy! Some sp. Appear to be Hardy up to USDA zone 6/7.
Does anyone grow any species from this genus? What's your experience been? How was the fruit quality/taste? Where can I find plants/seeds?
Specifically I'd like to know more about Myrceugenia chrysocarpa and Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla( but all info is welcome!).
Myrceugenia chrysocarpa seems to handle ≈ -20°C without flinching.
Hardiness info:
http://datadryad.org/resource/doi:10.5061/dryad.d61jk/1
http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH0289.htm

[Sven]

It looks interesting, I've never heard of it.  I did a quick search and I could only find one source and they are out of stock. 

http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/ESeeds.htm?G_CAT=CT30&G_SRCH=petal

You can get plants of Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla here it looks like

http://www.desertnorthwest.com/catalog/page5.html

[BrianL]

Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla is taking the 90s and 100s OK, but it's in a pot in the shade.  No fruit yet though.

[Zpusher]

Cool! Thanks Sven! Ive also found another source for M. ovata var. nannophylla. rather buy plants/seeds from other forum members but these seem like a good option as well. I'll post the websites In case some one else is interested in these plants. They also carry other Hardy Myrtaceae( Myrteola, Luma and Ugni.)
Sources:
http://sacredsucculents.com/rare-beneficial-plants-from-chile/
http://www.farreachesfarm.com/Myrceugenia-ovata-var-nannophylla-p/p4674.htm

Brian- good to know it can handle the heat as well! It gets pretty hot here near Dallas and putting up with the heat would also be necessary. How old is your plant? Is it in the ground?

[Solko]

I have some experience with Myrceugenias. I got interested in them for the same reasons as you and there are a lot of species out there.

My experience is that the Chilean species are relatively hard to find, but you can find them. I have grown Myrceugenia Chrysocarpa, M. Leptospermoides and M. Lanceolata. The last two have a very small and dry fruit with less than one millimeter of fruit flesh surrounding a couple of big seeds. The Chrysocarpa died on me at -8 Celsius, where my Feijoa's and Ugni's took a hard hit, but survived.

My conclusion was that in their own climate zone (8b, 9a) the Ugni and Luma species are far more promising than the Myrceugenia's I grew. Luma is quite variable but can taste really good. Sweet and creamy. And Ugni's are so aromatic, that it's hard not to fall in love with that little fruit.

I would be interested in seeds of M ovata v. nanophylla if you can actually find some. I have emailed that desertnorthwest website twice without any response, but that might be because I am in Europe.

The really interesting Myrceugenia's seem to be the Brazilian ones, at least for fruit purposes. But those I have never, or almost never seen for sale, and then they are adapted to the same climate zones as the Eugenia's, compared to which they have smaller and less interesting fruit.

That has been my experience

[nelesedulis]

Hello Solko,

I have a very good type, sweet fruits, but small, but great for jellies and consumption in natura, took 3 years to frutify here on the site.
Myrceugenia miersiana The trees are beautiful, with beautiful leaves and flowering maginifca, small trees 1,7 m.

I have 3 more types of myrceugenia, but I do not know the correct ID.

Alexandre

I have some experience with Myrceugenias. I got interested in them for the same reasons as you and there are a lot of species out there.

My experience is that the Chilean species are relatively hard to find, but you can find them. I have grown Myrceugenia Chrysocarpa, M. Leptospermoides and M. Lanceolata. The last two have a very small and dry fruit with less than one millimeter of fruit flesh surrounding a couple of big seeds. The Chrysocarpa died on me at -8 Celsius, where my Feijoa's and Ugni's took a hard hit, but survived.

My conclusion was that in their own climate zone (8b, 9a) the Ugni and Luma species are far more promising than the Myrceugenia's I grew. Luma is quite variable but can taste really good. Sweet and creamy. And Ugni's are so aromatic, that it's hard not to fall in love with that little fruit.

I would be interested in seeds of M ovata v. nanophylla if you can actually find some. I have emailed that desertnorthwest website twice without any response, but that might be because I am in Europe.

The really interesting Myrceugenia's seem to be the Brazilian ones, at least for fruit purposes. But those I have never, or almost never seen for sale, and then they are adapted to the same climate zones as the Eugenia's, compared to which they have smaller and less interesting fruit.

That has been my experience

[Solko]

Hey, Alexandre, that is great news!

I knew the M Miersiana is very popular in Brazil and it is great to hear the fruits are sweet and good out of hand. I would be interested in seeds when te season comes for these. I think that there are at least two other interesting species in Brazil fruit wise. But before zonepushers get their hopes up, M Miersiana is already a zone 9 plant I think.

I remember that Marcos (Huertasurbanas) from Argentina has one or two Myrceugenia's in his collection that should be good in zone 9a, maybe 8b? I think he has M Glaucescens, but I don't think they have fruited yet, so we have no idea about the taste of those.

Do you have M Myrcoides as well? I thought that that could be another interesting Brazilian Myrceugenia.

[nelesedulis]

Hello Solko

I do not think they are popular, there are some places where they are known but most people do not know, I do not know much about this zoning scheme, I have no idea what it is 9, 8, 7, I'm on Brazil and we do not use this classification, I am in Koppen CWA climate.

Unfortunately, I am no longer working with the seed trade, but who knows in the future that I can go back to trade and trade, they will bear fruit in November here on the farm.

M Myrcoides, I already saw the plant in a friend, and he told me that the fruit has a dry and fine flesh, I do not know if it is an elite species for cultivation, it is a beautiful plant.


Alexandre

Hey, Alexandre, that is great news!

I knew the M Miersiana is very popular in Brazil and it is great to hear the fruits are sweet and good out of hand. I would be interested in seeds when te season comes for these. I think that there are at least two other interesting species in Brazil fruit wise. But before zonepushers get their hopes up, M Miersiana is already a zone 9 plant I think.

I remember that Marcos (Huertasurbanas) from Argentina has one or two Myrceugenia's in his collection that should be good in zone 9a, maybe 8b? I think he has M Glaucescens, but I don't think they have fruited yet, so we have no idea about the taste of those.

Do you have M Myrcoides as well? I thought that that could be another interesting Brazilian Myrceugenia.