Author Topic: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report edit: actually a surinam cherry  (Read 1103 times)

kittycatus

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Hi forum, I am growing some Eugenia dasyblasta, and it recently produced some tasty fruit. The seeds were from Trade Winds Fruit and planted less than 3 years ago. I grow it indoors exclusively under artificial light. The plant in the picture has been growing in a tiny 3"x5" pot its whole life. It seems to easily set fruit unlike some other kinds of Eugenia.

The taste is very good, sweet with balanced tartness and very juicy. It is soft and practically melts in the mouth, and the seed is comparatively small. The fruit was picked such that it fell off with the slightest touch. I'm not sure what less ripe fruit are like. The flavor reminds me of those dried mango slices you can get at Asian supermarkets. There were no weird or objectionable flavors.

I also have an Australian beach cherry, and its flavor is kind of bland with not much flesh. The skin has a resin taste so its better with the skin carefully peeled off, but is a lot of work for such a tiny fruit. Perhaps it would taste better with more light.





« Last Edit: March 08, 2023, 11:58:51 PM by kittycatus »

drymifolia

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2023, 05:49:36 PM »
Looks tasty! But let me be the first to say, pot that thing up already!  ;D

kittycatus

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2023, 06:04:23 PM »
Haha I would except I don't have the space for it. So many precious plants to hoard haha.

achetadomestica

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2023, 08:06:48 PM »
I have a Eugenia dasyblasta and the fruit looks nothing like the fruit in your
picture. I am not sure the plant matches yours as well.
The dasyblasta I have the fruit is much smaller and red colored.
It has the most unique taste also. It has less flesh but the flavor
is very intense. I would call it spicey. My tree is flowering now I will post
a picture when the fruit develops

kittycatus

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2023, 08:45:34 PM »
I was wondering about that, too. My fruit looks more like a Suriname cherry. Who knows what it really is since the seed is from Trade Winds. I've never tried Suriname cherries, so I can't compare.

W.

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2023, 09:02:00 PM »
That is not a Dasyblasta; it is a standard variety of Surinam cherry. Based on the dark coloration, it could be descended from a Zill Dark or other improved Surinam cherry, but it is certainly not a Dasyblasta Surinam cherry. Dasyblasta is a variety of Eugenia uniflora, so its foliage looks identical to any other variety. But, one only has to remember the other name for the Dasyblasta variety, smooth pitanga, to know that the fruit is very different. Dasyblasta fruit is small, round, bright red, and smooth, not ribbed like other Surinam cherries.

Flying Fox Fruits' site has a photo that should give you an idea what a Dasyblasta actually looks like: https://www.flyingfoxfruits.com/product/pack-of-10-seeds-eugenia-uniflora-var-dasyblasta-or-smooth-pitanga-rare-fruit-tree/82

Unfortunately, Trade Winds, though overall a good seller, is not 100% accurate, and those mislabeled seeds become a big problem when growers buy them, invest years of time and effort growing them into fruiting plants, and get something completely different for all their trouble.

drymifolia

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2023, 09:18:38 PM »
I was wondering about that, too. My fruit looks more like a Suriname cherry. Who knows what it really is since the seed is from Trade Winds. I've never tried Suriname cherries, so I can't compare.

From what I can find, dasyblasta is just a variety of Eugenia uniflora (Suriname cherry), not a separate species, and since their seeds are all zygotic I'm guessing that whoever grew seeds for Tradewinds had some dark-fruited unifloras nearby and your seeds were a result of cross pollination.

kittycatus

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2023, 10:35:58 PM »
Ah I see. At least the fruit is tasty. haha

elouicious

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2023, 10:44:52 PM »
to reduce the resinous flavor place the fruit in the fridge overnight before eating-

great job!

Also definitely not a dasyblasta- i have had trhe fruit and they are maybe a quarter to an eighth of the size
« Last Edit: March 08, 2023, 10:53:03 PM by elouicious »

TropicalFruitSeeker

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2023, 10:45:15 PM »
Ah I see. At least the fruit is tasty. haha
You give me hope for my zill darks I planted last year! tasty and fruiting in around 3 years!

brian

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2023, 11:02:55 PM »
You got me worried, I have a dasyblasta seedling and I had to go check where I got it from... and it was from W., so I have good confidence :)

kittycatus

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2023, 11:16:49 PM »
to reduce the resinous flavor place the fruit in the fridge overnight before eating-

great job!

Also definitely not a dasyblasta- i have had trhe fruit and they are maybe a quarter to an eighth of the size

How would you describe the flavor of the real dasyblasta? Is it worth growing?

elouicious

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2023, 11:20:18 PM »
Unfortunately, Trade Winds, though overall a good seller, is not 100% accurate, and those mislabeled seeds become a big problem when growers buy them, invest years of time and effort growing them into fruiting plants, and get something completely different for all their trouble.

Completely agree with you on this front- ridiculous to put so much time and effort into something that isn't what you wanted

BUTTTTTT in this case I think you may have ended up okay kittycatus-


How would you describe the flavor of the real dasyblasta? Is it worth growing?

It is a good surinam- maybe a bit sweeter and less resinous but the small fruit size and sameish seed size make me say it is just a collectors plant-

If I could only grow a few it would be one red and one black

brian

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2023, 11:24:25 PM »
If I could only grow a few it would be one red and one black

I have one red and one black seedling and I can't much tell the difference in taste between them when fully ripe.   However, the red is highly productive, while the black flowers little though trees are both about the same size.  With a sample size of only one each it could be a fluke, but I wonder if this is typical?  I am about to toss the black one

W.

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2023, 12:05:07 AM »
You got me worried, I have a dasyblasta seedling and I had to go check where I got it from... and it was from W., so I have good confidence :)

And I didn't get my Dasyblasta seeds from Trade Winds.

achetadomestica

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report edit: actually a surinam cherry
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2023, 01:25:39 PM »
This morning!















brian

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report edit: actually a surinam cherry
« Reply #16 on: March 07, 2024, 08:38:09 PM »
My dasyblasta seedling from W. Is flowering for the first time, should get to try the fruit soon!

Ognin525

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Re: Eugenia dasyblasta taste report edit: actually a surinam cherry
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2024, 12:47:23 AM »
I got my dasyblasta cuttings from achetadomestica (sometime 2021) very good fruits! It's funny because mine are flowering at the same time as yours!!! Just took these pics tonight lights were out so pictures are shotty sorry lol. That interesting flavor reminds me of celery alittle bit but it doesnt ruin the fruit they are very sweet and none of that gassy taste some Suriname's have.

Took these pictures tonight


This morning!















« Last Edit: March 08, 2024, 01:06:20 AM by Ognin525 »
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