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Eugenia uniflora
Myrtaceae FAMILY

Eugenia uniflora

Eugenia uniflora

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The seeds are extremely resinous and toxic[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthSlow

Eugenia uniflora succeeds in warm temperate to tropical areas, up to an elevation of 1,800 metres in the tropics[1]. The temperature range for growth is reported to be 12 - 32°c, with the optimum between 21 - 27°c[1]. It is rather cold-tolerant and will stand several degrees of frost unharmed, with older plants suffering only superficial injury at -5°c[1]. The annual rainfall range for growth is reported to be 700 - 2,700mm, with the optimum between 1,200 - 2,000mm[1]. It is well adapted to areas of high relative humidity but can also withstand a long dry season[1]. Prefers a fertile, moist soil in a sunny to partially shaded position[2]. Adaptable to a range of soil types, but intolerant of alkaline soils[3]. Succeeds in alkaline soils according to another report[4]. Prefers high levels of organic matter in the soil[3]. A position in full sun is required for the plant to maintain its best shape[2]. Plants are deep rooted and can withstand drought[1, 4]. Plants can become invasive in some areas, spreading by means of their roots[4]. A fairly slow-growing plant[5]. Flowering and fruiting may start when plants are 2 years old under favourable circumstances, usually it starts when 5 - 6 years old, on the flushes of the previous season or basal part of the shoots of the current season[1]. Flowering and fruiting continue over an extended period (6 - 8 weeks) and, depending on the climate, there may be several crops in a year[1] In India pruned bushes yielded 2.7 - 3.6 kg fruit per plant[1]. The highest yield obtained in Israel was 11 kg fruit from one untrimmed plant[1]. Two main types are distinguished: the most common form has bright cerise fruit and red-tinged foliage; the other form has dark-red to black berries and similarly tinted leaves; the latter form is rarer and tends to be sweeter and less resinous[1, 6]. There are several named varieties[7].

Propagation

Seed - keeps its viability for only about 1 month[1]. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in individual containers. A germination rate of around 80 % can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 50 days[5]. Layering. Grafting Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Eugenia+uniflora>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  2. [2]Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide — Whistler. W. Arthur. · Timber Press Inc. Oregon. · 2000 · ISBN 0-88192-448-2 ↩︎An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. — Barwick. M. · Thames & Hudson, London · 2004 · ISBN 0-500-51181-0 ↩︎A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
  5. [5]Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-17-8 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
  6. [6]Brazilian Fruits and Cultivated Exotics — Lorenzi. H.; Bacher. L.; Lacerda. M.; Sartori. S. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora LTDA; Brazil. · 2000 · ISBN 85-867174-24-0 ↩︎A superb book, giving information on several hundred fruit species. Each entry has a brief description of the plant and its uses, accompanied by one to many excellent quality photographs of the fruits.
  7. [7]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
  8. [8]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]Tropical Food Gardens — Norrington. L. · Bloomings Books (Melbourne) · 2001 · ISBN 1-876473-41-x ↩︎Excellent little book giving some basic information on a range of plants.
  10. [10]Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics : an Inventory — Martin, F. W.; Campbell, C. W.; Rubertbe, R. M. · U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service · 1987 ↩︎A booklet giving terse details of almost 300 species of edible fruits, plus regional lists of Botanical and Common names for over 2,500 less well-known edible fruits of the tropics.
  11. [11]Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Second Volume. — Little E.L.; Woodbury R.O.;Wadsworth F.H. · USDA, Forest Service; Washington. · 1974 ↩︎Contains detailed information, and usually an illustration, on 500 tree species, including both native and exotic species.
  12. [12]Medicinal Plants of the Guianas — DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J. · Smithsonian Museum · http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html ↩︎A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region