Acerola, delicious and loaded with Vitamin C

The Barbados cherry Malpighia punicifolia  (Acerola) is a large, densely branched shrub. The plant can be pruned so it will form a central trunk and can grow as a small tree.  The shape varies from a low and spreading habit to more upright and open. Leaves are shiny and light to deep evergreen, leaves will vary in size from 1 to 3 inches and are rounded in shape. This small tree or shrub features, attractive flowers that vary in color from pale pink to rose. Flowers appear in April and flowering continues throughout the summer and often into the fall. 

Soft, juicy, thin-skinned Barbados Cherry fruit are light red to deep crimson when mature. The outer shape somewhat resembles a small apple, but inside the fruit  are several very un-apple like seed.  The fully mature fruit average about an inch in diameter.  Barbados cherries are borne in leaf axils, singly or in clusters of 2 or 3. The shrub may have 3 to 5 crops per year, from May to November, with the largest crops appearing during the summer. In frost-free areas it is almost everbearing.

The fruit is rather tart but  some selections are sub-acid to almost sweet.  Inside, the flesh is yellow-orange and very high in vitamin C  (ascorbic acid). The Vitamin C content of one fruit ranges from 1000 to 2000 mg per 100 grams of edible fully ripe fruit.   More acid fruit has higher vitamin C content, and the amount of this compound is much higher in partially ripe fruit.  Sometimes a single Barbados 

Cherry fruit can supply the daily adult requirement of vitamin C. 

How to grow Acerola Barbados Cherry Trees

These trees or shrubs depending on how you train them are pretty easy to grow. You can keep them as a small 5 foot tree or let them grow into trees that can reach 15 feet in height and 8 feet width. You can even easily grow them as bonsai plants. When handling the trees be aware that tiny hairs on the leaves can irritate the skin They have a shallow root system and seem to handle pruning quite well. 

Be cautious when planting your acerola in sandy soils. In Florida and other regions, nematodes infest and thrive in dry sandy soil conditions. Incorporate some lime to balance pH in the soil and also use mulch and other organic material that deters nematodes. Nematodes cause root damage by causing root knots that weaken the plants root system.

Acerola flowers look like tiny orchids and very beautiful in my opinion. Fruit set is often heavy on plants propagated from superior cultivars. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5. Acerola plants are drought tolerant and grow in a variety of well drained soils. 

Plants that have endured some drought conditions will defoliate and generally recover quickly once watering returns to normal. Soil should be kept moist but not allowed to become water logged. Plants will often flower and produce heavy crops after a short dry period followed by steady rain or irrigation.

The best varieties are cloned from tasty high producing plants. Typically the acerola plant is propagated from cuttings and may be air layered using rooting gel or rooting powder. Barbados cherry can also be grafted but this is rare. Seeds are not true to type and have very low germination rates. Germination from seeds can be as low as 10%. 

Your acerola plant can tolerate some shade but will grow better and produce higher fruit yields in full sun. Be sure to keep them at temperatures no less than 36 degrees. They can tolerate a little lower temperature but not freezing temperatures. Wind protection is also a good idea.

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 Fertilizer Recommendations for Acerola
Trees/bushes in the landscape.

Acerola in the landscape are fertilized 
with either an 8-3-9-3 or you could use 10-10-10-3 or similar. 

Young trees: 1/4 lb every 2 months

Mature trees: 2-4 lbs is applied 3 times per year. 
Maximum of 15 lbs per year.
Over fertilization often forces mostly vegetative 
growth and little fruit production.
Do not fertilize in winter!