Guaporeti (Plinia rivularis) is a Subtropical Species

[elouicious]

I apparently am giving Marcos a free promotion because all of these argentinian species appear to be doing quite well in Houston-

This is the better looking of two seedlings-

Plinia rivularis - "Guaporeti, Guaburiti"

Fruit - raw. The succulent pulp has a sweet, pleasant flavour. The globose, reddish-orange fruit is up to 2cm in diameter, containing one or two seeds

Guaburiti is an evergreen tree with a wide, dense, roundish, low crown; it can grow 6 - 11 metres tall. The short bole branches from very low down, it can be 25 - 40cm in diameter.
The tree is valued mainly for its edible fruit, which is gathered from the wild and consumed locally, though it also produces a useful wood. It is occasionally cultivated in domestic orchards for the fruit; can be grown as a pioneer when restoring native woodlands or establishing woodland gardens; and, since it provides a good shade, it can be grown as an ornamental for use in landscaping.

Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2021-06-27. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Plinia+rivularis>

[SHV]

So I take it that yours defoliated during the winter from cold?  The seedlings I have handled temps down to 35F without blinking.  I even had a day in the greenhouse where the temps exceeded 105F and it responded by pushing new leaves.  Seems to be fairly bulletproof for SoCA temps.  Only issue I have seen is brown leaf tips on older growth, but the new growth holds looks fine with pH management.
It will likely be many years for I enjoy any fruit from this species, but I'm very interested in the fruit based on second hand descriptions.  Has anyone fruited this in the U.S.?

[elouicious]

Yup this one is actually holding come leaves but the other one is completely naked-

I think we got down to around 27f overnight at the coldest here

[huertasurbanas]

Hi, thanks for the free promotion, haha. Plinia rivularis is difficult to grow, but it will not die if you give it good water (rain if possible), humidity, good acid rich soil and shade.

Here in my temperate climate (1300km from its native zone at Misiones) it grows very slow.

The fruit is fantastic!

[elouicious]

Happy to help!

Thanks for providing the seeds haha- these are getting holly tone fertilizer

Soil is 1:1:1 sphagnum:pine bark:inorganic material

Rainwater when possible but I need to get some better system for distribution from our rain barrels- the gravity fed system is too slow to do all the plants we have on a regular basis

[huertasurbanas]

I have the same problem with rain water!