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Surinamese cherry is an exotic plant native to South America that can grow equally well both in the garden and indoors. It is widespread in its homeland - Suriname and in many other countries; some gardeners know the culture in Russia as well.
What is this plant
Surinamese cherry is one of the types of fruit trees belonging to the genus Eugene of the Myrtovy family. Another name for this culture is Pitanga or Brazilian myrtle. It is grown as an ornamental plant and as a fruit tree for edible berries.
Biological description of the plant
Surinamese Pitanga cherry is an evergreen tree up to 7 m high or a shrub with drooping branches. For growing in indoor conditions, a variety has been bred with a low growth force. The upper side of the leaves of the plant is dark green, the lower one is lighter, the young leaves and shoots have a bronze or reddish color. The leaf blades are shiny, opposite, oval-lanceolate in shape, their length reaches 5 cm. They have a light resinous aroma, which is felt when rubbed in hands.
The flowers are small, about 1 cm in diameter, with 4 petals, located singly or collected in inflorescences, which are located in the leaf axils. The blossoming flowers are creamy white, with a large number of long stamens. A variety of cultivated varieties blooms, from late March to early May, can give 2 harvests per season. The plant pollinates and sets fruits easily even in artificial conditions. What the Surinamese cherry looks like can be seen in the photo.
Description and taste of fruits
The fruits of the Surinamese cherry are medium-sized (only 2-4 cm in diameter) ribbed (an average of 8 ribs each) berries. As they ripen, their color changes from green to yellow-orange, orange, red or burgundy. Their skin is thin, the flesh is juicy, tender, similar in color and structure to an ordinary European berry. The taste of Surinamese cherry is harmonious sweet and sour, with some bitterness, the aroma is a bit like coniferous. The berries contain 1-2 inedible bitter seeds. Ripe fruits come off the stalks easily, you just have to touch them.
Why Suriname Cherry is good for you
Its fruits contain some proteins (0.8 g), fats (0.4 g) and carbohydrates (7.5 g), organic acids and fiber, but 90% is water. Vitamins are represented by ascorbic acid, retinol, compounds from group B, minerals - calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, sodium. The calorie content of Surinamese cherries, like all fruits, is small - only 33 kcal per 100 g of product.
If you consume the berry regularly, it will have a tonic and immunomodulatory effect on the body, normalize the cholesterol content, and prevent the thinning of blood vessels and their clogging with blood clots. Due to the fiber contained in this berry, it will be beneficial for those with intestinal problems.Minerals will help strengthen bones, nails, hair and teeth, prevent the development of anemia, even help restore vision, strengthen the nervous and cardiovascular system. Not only pitanga berries are useful - you can make teas from the leaves, which are useful for colds.
It is not recommended to use it for people with individual intolerance, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Pregnant women can eat pitanga, but to a limited extent, children - only from the age of 3.
Scope of the fruit
Pitanga cherries are mainly used for fresh food, but sweet preparations can also be prepared from them: preserves, jams, sweet pasta, compotes, wine, juices, filling for pies. To eliminate the bitterness inherent in these fruits, they need to be kept in sugar for some time.
The use of pitanga in cosmetology
The use of berries has a good effect on the skin - it retains its youth and freshness longer, becomes clean and smooth, and lesions heal faster on it. Surinamese cherries are a part of production care products, and you can add their juice to creams made according to home recipes.
Where does Surinamese cherry grow
The plant, both wild and cultivated, is found in a number of South American countries - Suriname, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, etc. Cultivated varieties are also grown in Venezuela, India, the Philippines, Colombia, South China, Israel. In Europe, the plant is not very popular, although there are many who would like to try its exotic fruits. In Russia, it grows in the southern regions, in a dry climate, as it is a thermophilic culture.
Features of growing Surinamese cherry in the garden
This plant, which is unusual for Russians, is quite resistant to unfavorable growing conditions, is distinguished by undemanding soil conditions, and tolerates short frosts and long droughts well.
Site selection and soil preparation for planting
The culture grows best in sunny, wind and draft-proof areas. Although cherries are undemanding to the soil, they still need to be prepared: clean the area of plant debris, dig up the ground and apply organic or mineral fertilizers.
How to plant Surinamese cherries
Saplings are planted in a permanent place in spring or mid-autumn. The place where the tree will grow is chosen sunny, with a slight shadow that forms during the hottest part of the day. Ash and a source of nitrogen - humus - are poured into the planting pit - Surinamese cherry grows normally only on fertilized soils with a neutral or slightly acidic soil reaction. If the selected area is wet, a layer of drainage material is poured onto the bottom of the pit, because this plant does not tolerate getting wet roots. The depth of the seedlings should not be lower than the root collar.
Surinamese cherry care
Pitanga or Surinamese cherry begins to bear fruit already in the 2nd year. It does not require special care for itself: it needs to be watered, especially in the heat, and in order to retain moisture, the soil around the plant should be mulched with hay, straw or agrofibre. You need to feed the plants once a month with complex fertilizers. You can use both organic and mineral fertilizers. Formative pruning is carried out in the spring, if necessary, you can remove excess growing branches in the summer.
The plant can bloom and bear fruit twice a year, from the end of flowering to the ripening of the berries, it takes 3 weeks. In the fall, before the onset of cold weather, you need to cover the soil on the trunk circle with fallen leaves, straw, hay, spruce branches.
Reproduction of the Surinamese cherry
The pitanga plant reproduces well with bones, which have a high germination capacity. It is enough to plant a fresh seed in fertile soil and it will germinate. The germination process takes about 1.5-2 months. A young seedling is planted in a permanent place in October.
How to grow Surinamese cherries at home
This exotic plant is able to decorate not only a garden, but also a room, so it is quite possible to grow it at home. This will require a sufficiently large container, fertile soil and a good young seedling. The pot with the planted plant must be installed in a sunny place. Care is about the same as for cherries growing in the garden: frequent watering during the day and moderate in winter, spraying on the leaves in the heat. The houseplant should be transplanted into a new container the next spring after planting, and then done every 2 years. Prune branches in the spring, at the beginning of the new season.
Diseases and pests
Due to improper watering, the tree can get sick with root rot. Control measures - transplant into new soil, after cutting off the roots and sprinkling the sections with coal powder. Of the pests, the plant can infect aphids, scale insects, whiteflies, ticks, slugs. They are destroyed with suitable insecticides and acaricides.
Conclusion
Surinamese cherry or pitanga is an exotic and rare plant, but interesting for many gardeners. It is undemanding to growing conditions and decorative, it can be used to decorate both a garden and a residential building, and at the same time get a harvest of tasty and juicy fruits, which taste somewhat like the familiar ordinary cherry.
