Surinam Cherry

[Kevin Jones]

Black Star Surinam Cherry.
This is the first time it has gone into full bloom. 3 years old - grafted -  in 11 gallon pot -  bought from Plant-O-Gram.
My other cherries bloomed in the winter/spring, in my greenhouse... but this tree is blooming now.
It had a light bloom this summer, but now is budding up in a serious way.
Is it typical for a Surinam Cherry to bloom multiple times through-out the year?
This tree has a large and delicious fruit with a blackberry/grape flavor...  so I want it to bloom as often as possible.
I live in central Alabama if that make a difference. Outside in summer. Greenhouse in winter.

Thanks.

Kevin

[achetadomestica]

I have 5 Zills black Surinam cherries and they had a heavy bloom in the spring and have continued to
bloom this summer. It seems like between the 5 trees there is always ripe fruit on one of them.

[Kevin Jones]

That's good to know about the Zills.
I have 5 Zills in 5 gallon pots that should start blooming this winter.
Seedlings originally from Adam at Flying Fox Fruits.
Hopefully mine do as well as your.
Thanks.

Kevin

[marklee]

Water always and they will bloom all the time.

[roblack]

yeah, its normal for surinam cherry to fruit year round. they certainly do here for us.

how is the taste on these? Really wish I liked the red variety, have a ton of em, can't eat em. growing a small black/zills too, hopeful re the taste.

[AndrewAZ]

Roblack,  when I lived in North Miami Beach many moons ago, we had Surinam cherry as a hedge around the condo.  I didn't anything about them and someone told me that they were a cherry and edible.  So I tried one(It was a dark purple/black) variety and it was awful.  Since I have a seedling now, I am hoping that because they used it as a hedge, no thought was given for fruit quality.
I did read an article once.  It said to improve flavor in Surinam cherry, cut them in half, remove the seed, put em on a plate, sprinkle sugar on top and put in fridge to chill.  Not sure if works, but worth a try.

[Kevin Jones]

Here's a photo of 2 of my Black Star Surinam Cherries from this summer 2017.
This fruit is so under-rated.
Very juicy. Little pulp. Perfect blend of Sweet and Tart... like a blackberry or Dewberry.
Very little of the so-called aftertaste they seem to be famous for.

Kevin

[Kevin Jones]

EZ Fix For Accuracy...

These are Surinam Cherries I am growing.
Does anyone have experience with the following progeny:

Lolita Progeny -  Florida - eBay
Crenshaw Sweet Progeny - Florida - eBay
Black Star (Grafted) - Florida - Plant-O-Gram
Black Star Progeny -  Hawaii
Zill Progeny - Flying Fox Fruit
Preta Progeny -  from the Czech Republic

Hope that makes somebody happy!
Thanks.

Kevin

[spaugh]

Kevin, nice looking fruits.  Post some photos of the plants if you can.  Are they all in full sun?

[Kevin Jones]

I'll take a few snaps tomorrow.

Kevin

[Kevin Jones]

More images of my Black Star in bud and bloom.

Kevin

[mangaba]

Surinam cherries, also called Pitanga whether they are red or dark pink when ripe have sometimes a bitter  after  taste if you put them in the mouth.
 When ripe  I remove the seed by pressing with the fingers.  After straining either drink as juice. Or you  can make jam by cooking  ( pulp+skin) and add an apple for pectin.  After boiling, let cool down and strain.   Add equal amount in weight of sugar  for volume of juice and let it cook untill mixture thickens

[sildanani]

Has anyone experimented with grafting onto their Surinam cherry trees or know of any compatible non-Surinam cherry species? I am growing an unknown red type and "Zill's Dark". But I am unsure to if I will like the red type.

[Kevin Jones]

This Black Star that is in full bloom right now is in full sun.
Once cold weather arrives here in central Alabama, I will move it into my greenhouse.

Kevin

[nana7b]

Kevin, how high is your plant? Would love to see a picture of it with the container so I could see its form.

Regarding the resinous aftertaste I read on the hort.purdue site that cutting open and chilling the fruit may help dissipate it.

"For table use, they are best slit vertically on one side, spread open to release the seed(s), and kept chilled for 2 or 3 hours to dispel most of their resinously aromatic character."

Seems like a lot of work for a small fruit but if it improves the experience......

[Kevin Jones]

In an 11 gallon container... about 3ft tall.
Hundreds of blooms. Pretty amazing I think.
This variety is delicious!

Kevin

[Guanabanus]

If your Surinam-Cherries are seedlings, they are NOT named varieties, until they have fruited, been considered special in some nice way, and then provided with a fresh new name. 

Any seed produced by plant-sex (pollination) is a new variety, and will not be reproducible by seed.

Named varieties must be reproduced vegetatively:  by grafting, by air-layering, etc.

The 'Zill Dark' was selected by Dorothy Zill (wife of the founder of Zill Nursery), and it was named by me, when I saved it by moving it from the original nursery when the place was sold.  Yes, it should be sold as grafted plants.

It is O.K. to sell seedlings, and it is O.K. to identify which tree the seed came from, just so it is worded to make clear that these are not that named variety.

[bsbullie]

If your Surinam-Cherries are seedlings, they are NOT named varieties, until they have fruited, been considered special in some nice way, and then provided with a fresh new name. 

Any seed produced by plant-sex (pollination) is a new variety, and will not be reproducible by seed.

Named varieties must be reproduced vegetatively:  by grafting, by air-layering, etc.

The 'Zill Dark' was selected by Dorothy Zill (wife of the founder of Zill Nursery), and it was named by me, when I saved it by moving it from the original nursery when the place was sold.  Yes, it should be sold as grafted plants.

It is O.K. to sell seedlings, and it is O.K. to identify which tree the seed came from, just so it is worded to make clear that these are not that named variety.

Well said.

To all, as Har said, its Zill Dark, NOT Zill's Black.  And a seedling surinam cherry is just that, a seedling...to add further, just cause the fruit was a bkack/dark variety does not mean the resulting seedling will be black/dark.

[Lory]

If your Surinam-Cherries are seedlings, they are NOT named varieties, until they have fruited, been considered special in some nice way, and then provided with a fresh new name. 

Any seed produced by plant-sex (pollination) is a new variety, and will not be reproducible by seed.

Named varieties must be reproduced vegetatively:  by grafting, by air-layering, etc.

The 'Zill Dark' was selected by Dorothy Zill (wife of the founder of Zill Nursery), and it was named by me, when I saved it by moving it from the original nursery when the place was sold.  Yes, it should be sold as grafted plants.

It is O.K. to sell seedlings, and it is O.K. to identify which tree the seed came from, just so it is worded to make clear that these are not that named variety.

Absolutely correct and valid in general not just for eugenia uniflora!

[Kevin Jones]

EZ Fix.

kj

[Guanabanus]

Correct.

[Kevin Jones]

I noticed today a couple of my Zill Progeny plants have a few blooms on them.
If they set fruit I will be sure to watch them to see the quality of the fruit and color.

Kevin

[Lory]

Goodluck i hope they will be delicious :-)

[Kevin Jones]

Honestly though...
I'm one of those in the minority that likes the red ones too.

Also...
I know I've posted this query before...
but has anyone found a sure fire cure for Eugenia seedling yellowing?
I tried ph adjustments, fertilizers, sulfur, iron chelates, etc.
For me... it seems to hit Grumichamas most often... though all of my other Eugenia species as well.
Identical plants in identical soil, pots, amendments etc.
See by side... one will be perfectly green and healthy and the other will have yellowish leaves.
Seems to effect young plants more than mature plants.

Of everything I've heard from others, it seems they feel it may be exposure to strong direct sunlight too early.
This year my new crop of seedlings are staying in my greenhouse where they receive reduced sun intensity.
In the past I would have put them into direct sun outside the greenhouse as soon as possible.
This year there does seem to be less incidents of yellowing in my seedlings. Maybe the others are onto something.
Thanks for any input.

Kevin

[Guanabanus]

Maybe also difference in soil flora--- mycorrhizae, etc.  They wouldn't automatically colonize adjoining pots all the same.

Difference in genetic propensities is also very likely--- nature rarely produces equality.