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

[ScottR]

nice big plants Adam, looking good

[FlyingFoxFruits]

getting a decent fruit set, seem like almost every flower sets a fruit, unlike other species of myrciaria I'm used to...like the hybrid Red, or Sabara.

Also, happy to see there's going to be two separate crops...a small one, and a larger one, maybe 20 days after (weather permitting).

I'm going to have to turn my greenhouse into a net house, to protect these from the birds!!  I'm not going to let them lay a beak on my Grimals!

[edself65]

Great photos Adam! I hope my Grimal fruits this year!

[shah8]

Me too, me too.  Think my problem is that I need more light before I'm able to put it outside on the patio.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Getting a decent crop of Grimals off of my 15 gal trees.

The birds are actually letting a few ripen!

Big fruits, small seeds, great taste!

[Tomas]

They look so good!!

Tomas

[Bananimal]

I need to repot mine ASAP!  Same for the red --- and the blue --- and the Sabara.

[ScottR]

Nice looking fruit set there Adam

[FlyingFoxFruits]

some of the last Grimal fruits off of my trees in 15 gal pots....now I'm eagerly awaiting another crop, from a large in ground tree.

The thick skin of the Grimal made it harder for the birds to peck them...so they preferred the red jabos..which have much thinner skin.

[kimi]

They look delicious Adam. 

[Saltcayman]

Really nice drop adam. Congrats!  Dave

[Tropicaliste]

Congrats on the Jabo harvest.  They look yummy.

[huertasurbanas]

Congrats Adam

I got some grimal seeds but the mail took 4 months!

so when I opened the bag it was dry and they look like this:



washed them to remove fungus and then sow, 28º C... (over a modem)

20 days after they are growing :-D



cant believe it!

[Tomas]

That's amazing. You are a lucky guy! 

[FlyingFoxFruits]

wow huertas!  that's impressive!

thanks for sharing!

I bet they will grow nicely for you...the grimal seems to handle the city water very well...unlike most of the other rare jabos.

they like lots of water, but also enjoy good drainage and air circulation...this species is one of the most susceptible to rust...which is merely cosmetic.

[Vlk]

the grimal seems to handle the city water very well...unlike most of the other rare jabos.

That's awesome fact, I didn't know that! :-) I am looking foward to have grimal now even more! :-)

[fruitlovers]

In general, all of jaboticaba seeds are some of toughest and longest lasting seeds around in this hobby. So i'm not surprised you got them to grow after 4 months in the mail.

[huertasurbanas]

Thanks Tomas; great data Adam and Oscar.

So, grimal is "susceptible to rust...which is merely cosmetic", maybe I should not worry.

Dont know how the rust is... googling it now I see that this is a fungi

for instance, a random image:



I have 2 e. candolleana (just 2 of 25 seeds sprouted) and it seems to have something like the rust:

[FlyingFoxFruits]

looks like your candolleana has just been a little cold perhaps...it doesn't look like rust....rust looks more scab like...actually like rust on metal...orangish, and can form a slight crust.

Thanks Tomas; great data Adam and Oscar.

So, grimal is "susceptible to rust...which is merely cosmetic", maybe I should not worry.

Dont know how the rust is... googling it now I see that this is a fungi

for instance, a random image:



I have 2 e. candolleana (just 2 of 25 seeds sprouted) and it seems to have something like the rust:

[huertasurbanas]

Thanks Adam, nice to know that grimals are harder for the birds to peck them.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Uh oh!!!

a possible identity crisis right before my big speech on Myrciaira/Plinia!

looks like I may have to go back to the drawing board for this one....sorry to those who've got plants (seeds) from me....get ready to change some labels!

this is still developing...so stay tuned!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Ok...here is the update...

after corresponding via email with Marco Lacerda (from www.e-jardim.com, and one of the authors of "Brazilan Fruits"), and comparing pictures, and descriptions of a few varieties, we came to the same conclusion:

The variety called "Grimal" in the USA, is most likely a variety called "Peluda-de-alagoas"...and if not this variety, then some other similar variety from the North East of Brazil...that doesn't have a botanical name.

so the botanical name of the Grimal is back to Myrciaria sp. (for now)....and it's certain that M. spirito-santensis is an entirely different species.

[note: Grimal has also been called, Fuzzy Jabo, Cambuca do Norte, and Large Leaf jaboticaba.....so there have been many names for this one variety....and the proper name is most likely Peluda-de-alagoas]

[FlyingFoxFruits]

here is one of my heaviest bearing 15 gal trees...the others have about half as much fruit or less.

still will be at least 5-7 days before they are ready to eat...

BTW...a little advice...from someone who knows what they're talking about...don't overwater the Grimal!

the fruits are susceptible to splitting!

I suppose this could be one reason not to plant this variety commercially in areas with extremely high amounts of rainfall.  I wonder if grafting onto sabara helps to resist splitting? doubt it.

at least fruits are still delicious, even after they split....(so far this year, I've only had one split...so I can't complain)

(another reason not to plant in areas with too much precipitation, this variety is more susceptible to rust...purely cosmetic, but still makes fruit ugly for selling)

I think this variety would be great for AZ, and TX...areas that are super hot, with not too much rainfall....but u definitely need to keep the Grimal moist...not sopping wet

[From the sea]

Definitely one of my favorite fruits, Ate sooooo many over the last 2 weeks, and they make a awesome jelly.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Definitely one of my favorite fruits, Ate sooooo many over the last 2 weeks, and they make a awesome jelly.

dude that jelly would sell like liquid gold!

like $30 for an 8 oz jar!!!  before shipping!

make some, I'll buy it, so we can get the trend started!