Acerola is commonly available for sale in Florida, where it enjoys sandy soil and is grown as a perennial patio shrub or hedge screening. The fruit provides food for native birds and the flowers offer nectar for butterflies. The mature fruit can be eaten raw or cooked into jam or conserve. The fruit and juice of acerola are as common for breakfast in South America as oranges and orange juice in North America.
Background: This tropical, fruit-bearing shrub or small tree is generally
considered to have originated along the Caribbean rim, particularly the West
Indies and northern South America. Based on linguistic evidence, its
distribution may, more specifically, have emanated outward from Mayan use in the
Yucatan in Mexico, thousands of years ago.
Acerola is grown in California and many other tropical and subtropical regions
of the world. Some of the largest plantings are in Brazil. One island nation of
the Caribbean so values its crop that vigorous preventive measures are taken
with plant cuttings. The fruit is juiced and eaten fresh where it is cultivated.
Malphighia glabra is a large, relatively fast-growing
bushy shrub attaining to 15 ft in height. Can be pruned to any desired
shape, but grows best as a managed shrub. Branches are brittle, and easily
broken. The root system is shallow. Leaves are dark to light green, glossy
when mature, obviate to lanceolate, with an entire margin with minute hairs
— known to be a mild skin-irritant. Flowers are sessile or on
short-peduncled cymes with small pink to white flowers with five petals.
Flowering occurs throughout the year, but typically in rainy cycles.
Pollination, rare, is generally attributed to only the Centris bee.
Bright red fruits grow to 3/4 in. in diameter. Though botanically unrelated,
fruits are visibly similar to the European cherry (prunus). Fruits are round
to oblate with 3 lobes. The thin-skinned fruit is easily bruised. Pulp is
juicy, acid or sub-acid to nearly sweet with a delicate flavor and apple
notes. Fruit develops to maturity in approx. 29 days. Triangle shaped brown
seeds, typically 3 in number, have fluted wings.
