Myrciaria floribunda

Myrciaria floribunda, commonly known as cambuizeiro, guavaberry or rumberry, is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It can be found across South and Central America and the West Indies in dry or moist coastal woodlands, up to 300 metres above sea level. The guavaberry, which should not be confused with the guava, is a close relative of camu camu.

Description

A small evergreen tree. It grows 15 m high. The bark is pale and smooth. The leaves are simple and deep green. They are 9 cm long. They are sword shaped and with a long point. The flowers are white and showy. They are almost without stalks. There are 4 fringed petals and a clump of golden stamens. The fruit are small and yellow with a sweet aromatic pulp. They can be red. They are 10 mm across. They have one or two seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit is edible. A succulent, sweet pulp. The sweet, orange flesh is strongly, aromatically, fragrant and makes a delicious, pungently-flavoured jam or juice. The dark red to black globose fruit is about 13mm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is eaten fresh or used for flavouring. It is used for jam or juice. The fruit are used to make a liqueur.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Guavaberry is used to make jams and drinks. Guavaberry liqueur, which is made from rum, is a common Christmas drink on many of the islands, particularly in Sint Maarten and the Virgin Islands. The colonists from Denmark and Holland found it could flavor rum by infusion similar to infused schnapps. In the Dominican Republic it is associated with the eastern town of San Pedro de Macorís which has a large population of Eastern Caribbean descent. Guavaberry coquito is one of many coquito flavored drinks from Puerto Rico associated with Christmas. The drink is made with spices, guavaberry, milk, sugar, coconut milk, eggs, and rum.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It suits the warm tropical lowlands. It is native to tropical America. It grows in dry or humid coastal woodland. It grows up to 300 m altitude. It can tolerate drought. It has some salt tolerance. It needs full sun. It does best is a rich loam.

Where It Grows

Belize, Bolivia, Brazil*, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Lesser Antilles, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. The seeds are collected from ripe fruit that are allowed to decompose for a few days before the seeds are washed out under running water. Seeds need to be planted while fresh. They should be in light shade. The seedlings emerge in 40-50 days.

Propagation

Seed - it has a short viability and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sow in a semi-shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination rates are quite low, with the seed sprouting within 40 - 50 days. The seedlings grow away quite slowly. Cuttings Side-veneer grafting

Other Uses

The wood is straight-grained, average texture, moderately heavy, hard, with a low susceptibility to wood eating organisms. It is used for general lumber. The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal. Myrciaria floribunda is a natural pioneer species. It is a common shrub that invades open ground throughout Amazonia, often being found in abandoned pasture where it grows quickly and provides suitable conditions for the establishment of other rainforest trees and shrubs.

Production

It is very slow growing. It takes 6-8 years to bear fruit from seed. Fruit matures in 60 days.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Arrayan, Boesigoejaba, Bois mulatre, Cabo de Chivo, Camboim, Camboim-vermelho, Cambuiva, Chepucuy, Coro-carette, Escobillo, Guaveberry, Guayabillo, Guayabito, Meriso-cerise, Mije, Mirto, Murta, Rumberry, Rumberry eugenia, Saitjaberan

References (26)

• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 288
• Brack, P., et al, 2020, Frutas nativas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: riqueza e potencial alimentício. Native fruits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: richness and potential as food. Rodriguésia 71: e03102018.
• Ekman Herbarium records Haiti (As Eugenia floribunda)
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 158
• Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 436

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