This year, my two mature Ugni molinae plants did give me a nice and plentiful crop. Both plants are about the same age and size. This gave the opportunity to compare these two varieties. The broad-leaved Ugni on the left and the Ugni Elite on the right side.
Previously, I have called the left plant also large-leaved Ugni.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=21253.msg263364#msg263364. However, I prefer the term “broad-leaved”, because the leaves are not so much larger, but considerably broader, compared to some other varieties. The plants grow in roughly 14 liter (3 gallon) pots in a sand/peat mix.
The broad-leaved Ugni gave 110 fruits, weighing altogether 52 g. Ugni Elite gave 256 fruits, weighing altogether 94 g. The average weight of one fruit compares to 0.47 g for the broad-leaved Ugni and 0.37 g for the Ugni Elite.
Bearing so small fruits, Ugni molinae is not a species for commercial fruit production, but is charming with taste and specialness. As regards taste, I prefer Ugni Elite, which is sweeter.
This was the first year, which did give a reasonable harvest. Enough, to share the fruits with my wife. Never seen any Ugni before, she asked: “Where did you get these cowberries from?” I responded: “That aren´t cowberries. Just taste”. Interesting her comments: “Mmmh, so good.” And after a while. “These berries remind a bit of rose pepper” (Schinus terebinthifolia, Schinus molle) “and also a bit of juniper berry” (Juniperus communis).