Acerola Cherry Live Plant (Barbados Cherry) – 10″ Pot Bushy Shrub

Overview

Cultivate your own superfood with this vibrant acerola cherry live plant. Also widely recognized as the Barbados cherry tree or West Indian cherry, this remarkable plant is a small tree or bushy shrub celebrated for its glossy green leaves and abundant production of vivid crimson fruits. While less common in mainstream markets due to its delicate nature, growing your own malpighia emarginata plant at home ensures a fresh supply of this unique and highly nutritious fruit. The acerola fruit is renowned for its soft, succulent, and juicy texture, boasting a delightful sweet-tart cherry flavor. It is an extraordinary source of vitamin C, capable of providing your daily requirement with ease, making the acerola cherry live plant a fantastic addition to any edible garden.

The scientific names for this fascinating plant include Malpighia emarginata, Malpighia glabra, and Malpighia punicifolia, all referring to the same beloved fruit-bearing species. It’s an ideal choice for those looking to enjoy fresh, vitamin-packed fruit directly from their garden. With proper care, your acerola cherry live plant will thrive, offering both ornamental beauty and a bountiful harvest. This particular specimen arrives as a well-established plant in a 10-inch pot, ready to be nurtured in your home garden, promising a rewarding cultivation experience for fruit enthusiasts.

Key Benefits

Growing an acerola cherry live plant offers a multitude of advantages, from its health benefits to its ornamental appeal. This versatile plant is not only a source of delicious fruit but also an attractive addition to your landscape, offering consistent beauty and functionality.

• Exceptional Vitamin C Source: The primary benefit of the acerola cherry live plant is its incredibly high vitamin C content. Just a few of these small cherries can fulfill your daily vitamin C needs, supporting immune health and overall well-being. This makes it a superior alternative to store-bought supplements.
• Delicious Sweet-Tart Fruit: Enjoy the unique flavor profile of the acerola cherry – a perfect balance of sweet and tart that is highly sought after for fresh consumption, juices, jams, and jellies. The fruit’s delicate nature means it’s rarely found fresh in supermarkets, making home cultivation the best way to savor its taste.
• Beautiful Ornamental Shrub: Beyond its fruit, the Barbados cherry tree is an attractive plant with glossy green leaves and a compact, bushy growth habit. It can serve as a beautiful focal point in your garden or patio, adding a touch of tropical elegance.
• Easy to Grow in Warm Climates: While preferring warm conditions, this malpighia emarginata plant is relatively low-maintenance once established. It adapts well to various soil types and can tolerate partial shade, though full sun is ideal for maximum fruit production.
• Versatile Culinary Uses: The fruit from your acerola cherry live plant is perfect for a variety of culinary applications. Use it to make refreshing acerola juice, vibrant jams, fruit sauces, or simply enjoy them fresh off the tree.
• Rapid Fruit Production: Acerola cherries typically mature quickly, with fruits ready for harvest just 22-25 days after flowering. This fast turnaround means you won’t have to wait long to enjoy your delicious harvest.
• Supports Healthy Living: Having a fresh supply of acerola fruit encourages a healthier diet, providing antioxidants and essential nutrients directly from your backyard. It’s a great way to incorporate more natural vitamins into your daily routine.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your acerola cherry live plant is relatively straightforward, especially when provided with the right conditions. This plant thrives in warm environments and with consistent attention, it will reward you with an abundance of delicious fruit. Understanding its specific needs for light, water, and soil will ensure your Barbados cherry tree flourishes.

For optimal growth and fruit production, the malpighia emarginata plant prefers full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. While it can tolerate partial shade, fruiting may be reduced. When it comes to watering, consistency is key, especially during its first few years. Maintain consistently moist soil, but avoid waterlogging. Once established, the plant becomes more drought-tolerant and will only require occasional watering during dry periods. Good drainage is crucial, so ensure your pot or garden bed has adequate drainage holes.

Soil requirements for the acerola cherry live plant are not overly strict. Loamy soil is ideal, providing a good balance of drainage and nutrient retention. The soil pH should be slightly alkaline for best results. Fertilize your plant regularly during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to support healthy growth and fruit development. Pruning can be done to maintain a desirable shape and size, and to encourage more prolific fruiting. Keep an eye out for common pests and diseases, though acerola is generally quite resilient. With these care tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful harvest from your grow acerola at home project.

Size & Details

This acerola cherry live plant is supplied in a 10-inch pot, offering a robust and well-established specimen ready for immediate planting or continued growth in its container. The plant typically arrives as a bushy shrub, approximately 1-2 feet tall, providing a significant head start on fruit production. The size allows for easy handling and transplanting into a larger container or directly into your garden, depending on your climate and growing preferences. The delicate nature of the acerola fruit means it bruises easily, which is why you’re unlikely to find it in local supermarkets. Growing it at home ensures you have a continuous source of this unique fruit for your enjoyment.

The Barbados cherry tree is known for its relatively fast growth rate, especially in ideal conditions. You can expect fruits to mature quickly, typically within 22-25 days from the end of flowering. This rapid harvest cycle allows for multiple fruiting periods throughout the warmer months. While specific mature height can vary based on growing conditions and pruning, acerola can reach heights of 6-10 feet as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. This plant will provide an ongoing supply for those who wish to make their own acerola fruit plant juice or jam.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this acerola cherry live plant get? A: This plant is shipped in a 10-inch pot and is typically a bushy shrub already 1-2 feet tall. Mature plants can reach 6-10 feet in height, depending on growing conditions and whether it’s pruned as a shrub or small tree.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The Barbados cherry tree will arrive in a 10-inch nursery pot, providing ample space for its initial growth and establishment. You can choose to keep it in this pot for a while or transplant it into a larger container or garden bed.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While the acerola cherry live plant thrives outdoors in warm climates (USDA zones 9-11), it can be grown indoors in colder regions if given sufficient light and warmth. Many choose to bring it indoors during winter months.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant prefers full sun, ideally receiving 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, especially for optimal fruit production. It can tolerate partial shade, but fruiting may be less prolific.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? Is it good for beginners? A: Yes, the malpighia emarginata plant is generally considered easy to care for, making it suitable for beginners. Its main requirements are consistent watering, plenty of sunlight, and well-draining soil.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? Is it shipped in soil? A: Your acerola cherry live plant will arrive as a healthy, established plant in its 10-inch nursery pot, complete with soil. We take great care in packaging to ensure it reaches you in excellent condition.
• Q: Can I use acerola fruit in cooking? A: Absolutely! The fruit from your acerola fruit plant is excellent for cooking. It’s commonly used to make juices, jams, jellies, and sauces due to its high vitamin C content and unique sweet-tart flavor.
• Q: How long until it blooms and produces fruit? A: Acerola cherries are known for their rapid fruit production. You can expect fruits to mature and be ready for harvest within 22-25 days from the end of flowering, providing a quick turnaround from bloom to harvest.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature this plant can tolerate? A: The acerola cherry live plant is sensitive to frost. It thrives in temperatures above 50°F (10°C). In colder climates, it’s best to protect it or bring it indoors when temperatures drop.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: If you are in USDA Zones 9-11, your grow acerola at home plant can typically survive winter outdoors. In colder zones, it will need winter protection, such as being brought indoors or placed in a greenhouse.