Miracle Fruit Live Plant – Synsepalum dulcificum – 1-2 Ft Tall in 3 Gal Pot

Overview

Embark on a fascinating journey with the miracle fruit live plant, a botanical marvel known for its extraordinary taste-altering berries. This unique plant, scientifically known as Synsepalum dulcificum plant, is a small shrub native to West Africa. The ‘miracle’ lies in its fruit, which contains a glycoprotein called miraculin. When consumed, miraculin temporarily binds to the taste buds, causing sour foods to taste sweet for up to a couple of hours. Imagine turning a lemon into a sweet, delightful treat or enhancing the natural flavors of other fruits like grapefruit, strawberries, and lychees. This captivating plant is not just a conversation starter; it offers a delightful and educational experience for gardeners and food enthusiasts alike. Our miracle fruit live plant is shipped ready to thrive, bringing this incredible phenomenon right to your home.

Key Benefits

The miracle fruit live plant offers a range of compelling benefits beyond its primary taste-altering quality. It’s a plant that provides both novelty and practical advantages for various users.

• Unique Culinary Experience: The primary benefit of the synsepalum dulcificum plant is its ability to transform sour flavors into sweet ones. This opens up a world of culinary experimentation, allowing you to enjoy healthy, tart foods without added sugar.
• Appetite Stimulation & Flavor Enhancement: For individuals undergoing chemotherapy, the miracle fruit benefits extend to acting as an appetite stimulant. It can help mask the metallic taste often experienced after treatment, making food more palatable and enjoyable.
• Container Garden Friendly: This plant thrives in containers, making it an excellent choice for patios, balconies, or indoor growing. It can remain in a seven-gallon pot indefinitely, adapting well to limited spaces.
• Year-Round Fruiting: With proper care, your miracle fruit live plant can produce fruit throughout the year, offering a continuous supply of its magical berries.
• Educational & Engaging: Growing a miracle fruit plant is a fun and educational experience for all ages. It’s a wonderful way to introduce children to the wonders of botany and the science of taste perception.
• Attractive Foliage: Beyond its fruit, the plant itself is an attractive evergreen shrub with lush green leaves, adding a touch of tropical beauty to any setting.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your miracle fruit live plant is relatively straightforward, especially when grown in containers. Understanding its specific needs will ensure a healthy plant and abundant fruit production. Originating from Ghana, West Africa, this plant prefers warm, humid conditions. It is best grown in containers, which allows for easy relocation during colder temperatures. The average mature height for this plant is around 6 feet tall with a 2-foot width, though it can be pruned to maintain a desired size.

For sunlight, the synsepalum dulcificum plant thrives in bright, indirect light. While it can tolerate some morning sun, protect it from harsh afternoon sun, especially in warmer climates, as this can scorch the leaves. Indoors, place it near a bright window with filtered light or use grow lights. Watering should be consistent; the plant prefers consistently moist soil but not waterlogged conditions. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Use distilled or rainwater if possible, as miracle fruit plants are sensitive to chlorine and high mineral content in tap water. A well-draining, acidic soil mix is crucial. Many growers use a mix formulated for azaleas or camellias, or a custom blend of peat moss, perlite, and pine bark. Fertilize regularly during the growing season (spring and summer) with an acid-loving plant fertilizer, preferably one with micronutrients. The plant is sensitive to cold and will suffer damage below 28°F, so make sure to bring it indoors or provide protection when temperatures drop. Maintaining high humidity around the plant can also be beneficial.

Size & Details

This offering is for one miracle fruit live plant, typically measuring 1 to 2 feet tall from the soil line. It is shipped in a 3-gallon nursery pot, providing a substantial root system for a strong start in your home or garden. The plant’s average mature height is about 6 feet, with a spread of 2 feet, making it a manageable size for container growing. With proper care, it can remain indefinitely in a 7-gallon pot, allowing it to reach its full potential. The plant produces fruit year-round, offering consistent opportunities to experience its unique taste-altering properties. The miracle fruit benefits are best enjoyed when the fresh berries are consumed shortly after picking.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: Your miracle fruit live plant will arrive 1 to 2 feet tall. Mature plants can reach an average height of 6 feet tall with a 2-foot width, especially when grown in larger containers or in the ground in suitable climates.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: This synsepalum dulcificum plant is shipped in a 3-gallon nursery pot, providing a healthy start and allowing it to grow for some time before needing to be repotted.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The miracle fruit plant can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It thrives outdoors in USDA zones 10-11. In colder climates, it is best grown in a container and brought indoors when temperatures drop below 30°F.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant prefers bright, indirect light. If growing outdoors, protect it from harsh afternoon sun. Indoors, place it near a window with filtered light or under a grow light.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: The miracle fruit live plant is moderately easy to care for. It requires consistent watering, acidic soil, and protection from cold temperatures, but once its needs are met, it is a resilient and rewarding plant.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your plant will arrive as a healthy, established specimen in its 3-gallon nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure its safe journey to your home.
• Q: Can I use miracle fruit in cooking? A: While the fruit itself is edible and can be eaten fresh to experience its taste-altering effects, it’s not typically used as a cooking ingredient due to its delicate nature and the temporary effect of the miraculin. However, it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: Our 1-2 ft tall plants are often mature enough to begin fruiting shortly after arrival, or within the first year with proper care. It typically fruits year-round once established.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: The synsepalum dulcificum plant is sensitive to cold and will sustain damage at temperatures below 28°F. It’s crucial to protect it from frost.
• Q: What are the main miracle fruit benefits? A: The main benefits include its unique ability to make sour foods taste sweet, its potential as an appetite stimulant for chemotherapy patients, and its suitability for container gardening, offering year-round fruiting and an engaging experience.