From the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
Barbados Cherry
Malpighia glabra Millsp.
Malpighia punicifolia
If
you want a nice, low-growing tropical fruit tree that's quite colorful
in fruit, plant Barbados cherries. The Barbados cherry or acerola,
Malpighia glabra, (also known as M. punicifolia), is native to the West
Indies, and it's a favorite in landscapes for specimen plants or for
hedges.
Barbados cherries have deep green shiny leaves varying
in size and shape, but usually at least two inches or more in length.
Plants grow well over a wide range of soil conditions, but do prefer
acid soils for best growth and production. Barbados cherry grows to a
height of about 18 feet and about the same spread, but can be kept very
small and still produce plenty of delicious cherries.
Attractive
tiny pink flowers are produced throughout the year, generally from
early spring through late fall, and the fruits mature about four to six
weeks after flowering. Fruits generally are an inch or more across,
bright red with three large-lobed seeds in the center. The flesh is
usually yellow-range in color and contains a very high content of
vitamin C, and it is raised commercially for vitamin C.
Generally
plants grow rapidly, often three to four feet a year, and for this
reason they make good screens or hedges. Best growth is obtained in
full sun, but they will grow in light shade, too, although fruiting may
be less in the shade.
Most Barbados cherries have few problems with
cold weather, and they will tolerate about 30°F before suffering
damage. Fruits are often attacked by bugs and, of course, birds.
Nematodes may be a problem on sandy soils, and heavy mulching is
recommended to help discourage these pests.
Most Barbados
cherries are easily rooted from cuttings, or they can be airlayered and
these methods are used most by nurseries. Seed-propagated acerolas
generally have slow poor growth and may have sour inferior fruit. There
are a number of named varieties of this West Indian cherry, such as
'Florida Sweet' or 'B-17', and the types of Barbados cherries with
larger fruit often have sweeter fruit as compared to the small-fruited
types.
The amount of vitamin C in the fruit is highest on the
smaller-size fruits that are more acid. For eating out-of-hand, though,
many people prefer the sweeter clones even though they have less
vitamin C. Most varieties of acerola contain at least the minimum adult
daily requirement of vitamin C, so if you don't like taking vitamin
tablets, simply eat a Barbados cherry every day to get your vitamin C.
Fertilize
trees with a general-purpose fertilizer every three to four months to
help promote good growth and fruit production. Most Barbados cherries
can take small amounts of salt spray, but are not considered highly
salt-tolerant for oceanfront plantings. During periods of drought,
Barbados cherries will benefit from heavy mulching, since they have
very shallow roots which easily dry out. Weekly irrigations are
suggested during the spring dry season to help promote heavier fruiting.
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