| Origin | Native to native to the Minas Gerais region of Brazil. |
| Description | A slow, growing tree that grows large clusters of purple, round fruit all the way up the main trunk of the tree and some branches. |
| Growth Habitat | Grows extremely slowly in temperate lands but it is more suitable to tropical climates where it can fruit several times in one year. |
| Foliage | Salmon-coloured when young but grows into glossy, leathery dark- green, rounded to pointed leaves. |
| Flowers | The flowers are white and hairy with multiple stamens that are about 4cm long, growing in pairs or clusters along the tree trunk. |
| Fruits | The fruit looks like round, black grapes but with a tougher skin. It has translucent flesh with one to five, oval, light-brown seeds. A sweet, grapelike flavour that can also be resinous-like or astringent. |
| Harvest | Brazilian Grape can be harvested and transported in wooded containers as the skin is quite tough but the fruit can ferment easily if not chilled soon after harvesting. |
| Soil | Moist, lightly acidic soils are ideal but it also grows on alkaline, sandy soils if well-watered and cared for. |
| Pruning | Since the tree grows very slowly, prune to remove dead or diseased wood and to establish a good shape. |
| Fertilization | For young plants half ratio fertilizer at monthly intervals will speed the plant's very slow growth rate. Any well-balanced fertilizer applied three times per year will keep the plant healthy. |
| Propagation | Brazilian Grape Tree are usually grown from seeds in South America. These are nearly always polyembryonic, producing 4 to 6 plants per seed. They germinate in 20 to 40 days. |
| Nutritional Properties | (Per 1 cup) 45 calories; 1 g protein; 12 g carbohydrates; 6 mg calcium; 9 mg phosphorus; 23 mg ascorbic acid (vitamin C), fiber, polyphenols and flavonoids. |
| Health Benefits | The peel of Brazilian Grape Tree is attractive regarding its nutritional, functional and sensory aspects. The concentration of nutrients in the peel is greater than in the pulp. The Brazilian Grape Tree peel is rich in fiber and it is a source of polyphenols and flavonoids. The Brazilian Grape Tree peel can be used as feedstock for the production of jelly with sensory quality, nutritional and functional values. In a nutritional experiment, it was discovered that prepared jellies proved to have sensory quality, and nutritional and functional values, allowing the minimizing waste, besides being a good source of beneficial antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids. |
| Commercial Uses | Fruits may be eaten out-of-hand, discarding the skin and seeds. They can also be used in jams and jellies, fresh fruit salads, sherbets and cobblers. The astringent decoction of the sun-dried skins is prescribed in Brazil as a treatment for hemoptysis or bleeding from the lungs, asthma, diarrhea and dysentery; also as a gargle for chronic inflammation of the tonsils. |
| Food Suggestion | Brazilian Grape Jam - 3 cups jaboticaba pulp - 2 tablespoons lime juice - 3 cups sugar Use pulp that has been left over from jelly making or fresh pulp. Remove seeds and pulp through a food chopper. If using fresh fruit cook until tender. Add sugar and cook slowly until a spoonful of the mixture will hold its shape. A thick bottom pan is best for cooking jams. Spiced jam is excellent. If a spiced product is desired, for each cup of pulp add 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. |
Galleries
