Jaboticaba - Brazilian Grape Tree

Jaboticaba - Brazilian Grape Tree

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Posted 2013-01-11 by Susan Jacksonfollow
Jaboticaba is a fruit tree that I have discovered growing on the Gold Coast. January is our favourite month because the dark black shining berries are ripe for the picking and that means eating too. The tree that bears this delicious fruit is also known as the Brazilian Grape Tree.

The fruit has a white pulp, a bit like the look of a lychee when you take the outer skin off. Actually it seems a bit of a cross between a grape and a lychee. The interesting thing about the fruit is that it grows up the trunk and along the branches of the tree in dark clusters. The skin is fairly tough but easy enough to bite through to let you access the pulp. The fruit is best eaten straight after picking as it has a relatively short shelf life and begins to ferment after 3 – 4 days. This is the main reason that you don't see it in the market place outside the regions it grows in.

[ADVERT]It can be made into jams, tarts, wines and liqueurs. According to Wikipedia: "Several potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory anti-cancer compounds have been isolated from the fruit". It is also said to be very rich in Vitamin C.

This fruit is a favourite in Brazil and is "almost unknown outside its native country" according to The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia by Louis Glowinski. It grows slowly to a high of 10m. The fruit can be frozen whole. The Australian Tropical Fruits portal states that availability is September to November, but my friend's garden produces its fruit December/January. It was introduced to tropical north Queensland so I'm not sure if it's expected to grow on the Gold Coast but it certainly flourishes. The race is on once the fruit is ripe as birds will arrive and strip the tree in a day if we don't get there first. Rare Fruit Australia advises "Jaboticabas can be successfully grown throughout much of Australia, and it is a tree that gives back much more than the space it occupies. If you don't already have at least one, put it on your urgent shopping list".



To make a delicious juice from the berries, just cover your quantity of fruit with water in a saucepan and lightly boil until the skins split. Transfer the berries to a colander over another pot and use a potato masher to squash the fruit and release the juice. Pour into a bottle or jug and put into the fridge, so you can serve it chilled. One internet site I visited also mentioned adding honey to sweeten. [BREAK]

This link is for wine making from Jaboticaba .

Find a friend with a tree and grow one of your own from the seed. It's a great addition to any garden and is suitable for small gardens. My friend lives in Mudgeeraba. If other readers have a tree, leave a comment as to which area you live in.

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%wneverywhere
90627 - 2023-06-11 08:25:01

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