$17.75 ($17.75-$79.00 choose a size)
Yellow fruiting species with a distinctive sweet tangy flavour reminiscent of pineapple. We consider this tree a showpiece. Its lime green leaves have an unusual soft, almost powdery appearance and its beautiful golden green pendulous branches make it a worthy feature in the garden for its highly ornamental nature. The fruit of the black jaboticaba is becoming more popular and widespread (I even found some on the shelf of a local grocery store here in Lismore last week) while the yellow jaboticaba still remains a mystery to many. A prerequisite for enjoying the fruits of the Black Jaboticaba is patience. They can often take 6-7 years to come to fruit. However, we have found the Yellow Jabot produce fruit in as little as 3 years. It is a small bushy tree, usually growing to 3-4m in the subtropics of Australia, however I have seen photographs of the tree, in Brazil (its place of origin), with a couple of young boys perched high in the branches. These trees must have reached 9-10 m tall. The tree has a moderate cold tolerance but is best protected from frost. It is a suitable container grown tree in those areas that do receive frost and can be moved to a sheltered position during the cooler months. They are happy in full sun or part shade and are generally small enough to find a place in most gardens. They are relatively wind tolerant but will not enjoy salt spray. They particularly enjoy deep rich soil pH 5.5 to 6.5 but with regular nutrient application can be grown in most soil types. While the fruits have some similarities to the Black Jaboticaba, they are quite different in appearance, having a slightly furry yellow skin instead of the smooth shiny black skin. The fruit contains a gelatinous whitish pulp which has a pleasant, slightly acid flavor. A single tree will produce fruit, but cross pollination has shown to increase productivity. When planting a jaboticaba, the crown (uppermost) roots should be 2 to 3 inches higher than the surrounding soil levels to provide water runoff. Peat, compost or rotted manure may be mixed with the soil from the planting hole to improve it. The soil should be a well-aerated mixture.