Eugenia myrcianthes - Uvaia do Campo

[Santa Maria 9b]

Got some seeds from Trade Winds Fruits for "Eugenia myrcianthes - Uvaia do Campo" which germinated in my greenhouse. I was unable to dig up any info on the internet about the plant. Does anyone that has grown it have any advice about the plant? Is it the same plant as eugenia pyriformis?

[achetadomestica]

The most common description I read is it is good for ice cream which is
a very polite way of saying it tastes like sh..
Let us know if it is worth growing when you get fruit

[swincher]

Wikipedia lists that as a synonym for Hexachlamys edulis, aka "ubajay."

If so, I also have a couple seedlings I got from Wanderlust Nursery, but mine are still just about a foot tall. Here's how they described it:

We’re excited to offer a sweet and tart selection of the rare Uruguayan fruit, Ubajay. Very hard to come by in North America, the Ubajay is a relative to the Eugenia fruits like Surinam Cherry, Cherry of the Rio Grande, and Pitomba, but the plant is purportedly more cold hardy than its more common cousins.

Blooming in early spring, the Ubajay tree produces a fruit that tastes similar to peach that ripens midsummer. From what we’ve been told, the fruit quality is best before the fruit completely ripens, as once full orange, the fruit develops more complex flavors that some might describe as ‘off’. We aren’t yet sure if this tree is self fruitful, but our plants are seed grown so if you’re unsure it might not hurt to buy a second plant.

Cold hardy to zone 8b, or 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

[FV Fruit Freak]

Marcos sells a “sweet” variety I’m growing, but it’s from seed so who knows if it will stay true or turn out to be sour. Fingers crossed.

[CherimoyaDude]

Got some seeds from Trade Winds Fruits for "Eugenia myrcianthes - Uvaia do Campo" which germinated in my greenhouse. I was unable to dig up any info on the internet about the plant. Does anyone that has grown it have any advice about the plant? Is it the same plant as eugenia pyriformis?

You're in Santa Maria, go to Orpet Park in Santa Barbara and taste some from the tree there in the spring. Tastes like garlic, pretty unpleasant although apparently they taste ok when very underripe?

[Santa Maria 9b]

Thanks for the info, I think I will grow this in a pot to keep it small in case the fruit is not worth it. Hopefully I will let you know what mine tastes like in a few years

[swincher]

I really love garlic, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about a garlicky fruit. I guess I'll find out what I think of it when mine get bigger!

[marklee]

I agree, the ones I had growing tasted like garlic, we just called them "Skunkfruit". I just stopped watering it and now I use the truck for a grape trellis.

[K-Rimes]

I picked some from the tree in Orpet park in various stages of ripeness. It's ok under ripe, kinda sour and crunchy like an apple. As soon as they're sweet and juicy feeling yep... IT'S GARLIC TIME.

Not a nice sweet and tasty garlic flavor like you would think though, they're just kinda yuck. I planted out seeds and will grow them for awhile and see what happens. Marcos and Miguel PT say they have examples that don't have garlic flavor.

[W.]

If anyone decides to get rid of their plants, I would be interested in adding them to my collection. I just bought some Crateva tapia seeds (also known as the Spider Flower Tree or Garlic Pear), so I am not adverse to adding a "unique" tasting plant to my collection.

[K-Rimes]

If anyone decides to get rid of their plants, I would be interested in adding them to my collection. I just bought some Crateva tapia seeds (also known as the Spider Flower Tree or Garlic Pear), so I am not adverse to adding a "unique" tasting plant to my collection.

I have some seedlings I could sell. We may want to wait a few weeks for weather to warm up but they're small enough to ship and doing well.

[elouicious]

from sacredsucculents.com

Eugenia myrcianthes “Ubajai”

Myrtaceae. Small willow-like tree to 15-25′. Pendulous branches, simple glossy leaves, pubescent when young. White flowers and apricot size edible fruit. The flavor of the fruit is excellent when still pale yellow but becomes insipid upon turning a dark yellow/orange. Native to the Rio Plata region, Brazil. Easy to grow ornamental/edible, mature trees tolerant of mild frost. Z9b

Apparently picking the fruit at the right time is the key- insipid fruit is not likely to entertain anyones palette

[K-Rimes]

from sacredsucculents.com

Eugenia myrcianthes “Ubajai”

Myrtaceae. Small willow-like tree to 15-25′. Pendulous branches, simple glossy leaves, pubescent when young. White flowers and apricot size edible fruit. The flavor of the fruit is excellent when still pale yellow but becomes insipid upon turning a dark yellow/orange. Native to the Rio Plata region, Brazil. Easy to grow ornamental/edible, mature trees tolerant of mild frost. Z9b

Apparently picking the fruit at the right time is the key- insipid fruit is not likely to entertain anyones palette

It's kind of like crunchy guava in the early yellow stage. If you dig crunchy guava it's worth having around I spose

[swincher]

After spending a few afternoons on the patio last week, I decided to move my two seedlings out to a shadier corner of the patio full-time, to test their hardiness at this size.

So far they've been out for two nights below freezing (29° and 31°), two days apart. They may have also gotten a little sunburned, but I think most of the damage and leaf loss was from the cold. They still seem fine other than the tender bits, will be interesting to see how quickly they bounce back.





This was a couple months ago:

[swincher]

After another two nights below freezing (28°F and 30°F), I decided to let them come back in under the lights until spring starts more seriously (hopefully in a few weeks). I do see some new buds swelling, so looks like they are already recovering a bit despite repeated frosty nights. Bodes well for their hardiness once mature.