Eugenia cerasiflora Miq.

A small evergreen tree. It often has many branches. It grows to 6-8 m tall. With increasing age the bark peels off leaving a smooth trunk. It has dark green glossy waxy leaves. The leaves are 5-8 cm long. They are somewhat folded down the centre. Flowers are white and showy. Fruit are 2-3 cm long and dark red to purple.

A tropical plant. They grow on a variety of soils but prefer a slightly acid soils. Trees cannot tolerate salt spray. They can tolerate frosts once mature. They can tolerate sun or shade. They need plenty of water at flowering and fruiting. Plants can tolerate drought. The soils need to be well drained.

The fruit are eaten fresh. They are also used in jams and jellies. The fruit can be frozen or dried and stored. Caution: The seeds should not be eaten as they cause diarrhoea.

Trees are normally grown from seed. Seedlings take 4-5 years to produce. They can be grafted. Cross pollination improves the fruit set.