Grumichama Brazil cherry, Brazil plum

Eugenia brasiliensis (Myrtaceae family)

Origin: Brazil

Fruiting season: spring and fall

Height: small tree (up to 20 ft)

Relatives: jaboticaba, guava, mountain apple

The Brazil plum is a small, attractive tree or shrub that produces a delicious, cherry-like fruit. It is a highly ornamental plant often grown as a hedge in Hawaii. It has reddish young shoots and forms a dense, pyramidal canopy. The fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The fruit turns from green to crimson-red and finally dark-purple to nearly black as it ripens. The inner flesh is juicy, yellow and translucent. The taste is much like a sweet cherry with a touch of aromatic resin. Fruits are typically enjoyed raw or made into desserts or wine.

In Hawaii, the trees bloom and fruit in March-May and produce a second crop in September – November with a remarkably short period of 30 days from flowering to fruiting.