Plinia sp. Peluda de Alagoas, an early bearing variety of Jaboticaba (Grimal)

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I've been noticing that the Grimal Jaboticaba, is one of the better jaboticaba varieties...for the following reasons.

The tree is very ornamental, with large dark green leaves (even prettier than the common sabara in my opinion)

the large fruits have a different texture and flavor than most jaboticaba, its a delicious flavor like jaboticaba with concord grape, and the texture is much more gelatinous, with smaller seeds than the common types of jabo.

the trees are early bearing, showing flowers about 5-7yrs from seed.  I have some that are only about 4 ft tall, in 10 gallon pots, just now starting to flower and set fruits. I'm anxious to start getting fruits!  I've only harvested about 3 so far, and they were delicious.

[davidgarcia899]

The one I bought from you is doing great, Im excited to try it one day!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Dave,

is yours grafted or a seedling??

glad to hear it's growing well !

[Mike T]

Adam my one was 5.5ft and way less than 5 when it opened it's account.The taste is distinctively different from sabara,the fruit are larger but trees don't produce as often.My sabaras are spazzing out with flowers only a couple of days after rain.I wonder if they could flog them out.

[BMc]

Mine is fruiting about the same size. I do prefer this 'large leaf' to the regular small leaf type.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Mike T and Bmc,

thanks for the input! 

yes it does seem like the Grimal is more ornamental and a bit less productive

better to have all the varieties of jaboticaba than just a few!

[davidgarcia899]

Dave,

is yours grafted or a seedling??

glad to hear it's growing well !

Grafted

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Yes, now I remember.

Your tree was grafted from a large bearing tree near me, and the scions had flowers on them, months before grafting.  Believe it or not,  your tree is less than 1 yr old from graft (about 10moths old). 

It should fruit much quicker than a seedling!  Please keep us posted, and remove any suckers that try to form below the graft union!

[davidgarcia899]

I will, I actually put it in ground already and its doing really nice,  I'll post a picture tomorrow

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Pine island had some 7 gal Grimal Jabos at their nursery...about ready to fruit and they don't even know it!  Someone should snatch a few up...they had about 6 left...looking like they'd appreciate some lower ph, but they're ready to fruit this year.  Those trees are much more valuable than they think.

[Bananimal]

The grafted Grimal I got from Adam is flushing well.   Left the tape on for several months after I got it so no issues with the cleft union.  Highs around 80 here everyday in PSL and everything is flushing.

Adam - see you on Thurs.  Bring some good stuff.

[davidgarcia899]

This is the Grimal that i got from Adam, it has a nice flush at the moment.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Banaimal, and David,

your plants look great..and it makes me happy to see them!

If they are lucky enough to flower this year, I bet it wouldn't be until around Sept.

I'm noticing that this variety sets fruits quite well, even isolated plants, that are just flowering for the first time ever.

I have some fruits on my trees right now, pea sized.

PS..how has the suckering been?

I notice once they get to be about the size of your trees, they don't sucker that much at all.

[davidgarcia899]

Mine hasn't produced any suckers

[Bananimal]

Mine hasn't produced any suckers

Same here.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Howz this for a 3 gal Grimal? 

I think its going to flower next spring.

[Tomas]

Hi Adam,

It's so tall! How come some grafted Grimals are tall like that and some are more short and stout, at the same age? Is it because of the scion or the rootstock?

Tomas

[BMc]

The tendency of Grimal's's seem to be to grow straight up. Much more so than Sabara and co. Grafting must make them bushier and if I was to guess, it would be a similar reason as when grafted annona sometimes grow tall, while others stay low and spreading. There are research papers that show that the part of the tree where scion wood is taken from influences the growth of the tree. So horizontal brances tend to want to stay as horizontal branches when used as scion, whereas scion wood taken from upright growth will often give a more apically dominant tree. In many species the lower growing tree will fruit quicker and heavier, but the fruits of the taller growing ones will be larger. Of course, in jaboticaba that are trunk flowering it would be different than in new growth flowering species like annona.

[LEOOEL]

ASaffron, That is amazing, you've made a believer out of me. Could it be that seedling jaboticabas fruit faster than grafted? Congratulations on your accomplishment and very good news to know, thanks. I wish my seedling potted jaboticaba were like yours, it's been over 10 years in a big pot and nothing.

[Mike T]

My grimal seedling is loaded with really big fruit right now. 5 years and 6 feet is usual for seedlings here to begin fruiting and the have a similar shape to sabara when grown in the ground rather than being tall and thin.

[phantomcrab]

I purchased a grafted grimal jaboticaba from Adam last January and planted it out in June. There has been a fair amount of top growth but I've been amazed at how the main stem has filled out and recovered nicely from some squirrel's tooth sharpening endeavors. It seems to be more drought tolerant than my grumichama and has grown a few basal suckers (since removed). Even lizards find it interesting. The aluminum stake is 5/8 inch wide.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

looking good Richard! 

healing up nicely...I can barely see where it chewed the rootstock.

[Jacob13]

Hey Adam,

Very nice plants and pictures.  The Grimal that I got from you last year is doing great and growing so fast.  It is a seedling and about the size of the plant in the 1st pictures in this thread; somewhere around 4' feet tall, maybe even taller.  The leaves are much bigger and darker than the Sabara and is easily distinguishable from other varieties.  It hasn't flowered yet but it sounds as if it is not too far off.  I will post some pictures soon.

Thanks again,

Jacob

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Hi Adam,

It's so tall! How come some grafted Grimals are tall like that and some are more short and stout, at the same age? Is it because of the scion or the rootstock?

Tomas

Tomas,

this seedling is a tall one!  I think the plants are somewhat variable in their growth habit...some seedlings are bushy some are tall...some grafted plants are bushy some are tall...I think environmental factors are at play, as well as genetic variabiliy....and for grafted plants, scion selection definitely has an effect.

the one grafted Grimal I kept out of that batch looks like it wants to flower!  I think I grafted those in the spring of 2011.  I'm hoping they flower within 3 yrs from grafting (2014).

I notice some of the grafted jabos have scions that are slightly fatter than the rootstock!  it looks kind of neat...but im sure as the tree gets taller, it could snap in a nasty storm...this is why I plan on pruning them regularly, and keeping them in pots!!

[luc]

Do I really need another jaboticaba....oh well...yes , you can never have enough , OK , this means I am in the market for seeds ....anyone