Surinam Cherries
The Surinam cherry, also known as the Pitanga, is a little shrubby tree that produces a uniquely shaped fruit. I picked one up a couple of years ago at JRN Nursery, brought it home, and planted it in a 10-gallon pot out front by the driveway. It has grown very well there, but until this year it has never flowered. It has just grown over the sidewalk in a weeping form, annoying Dr. Wife, and getting in the way anytime someone walks from the driveway to the front door. I call it my 'coffee plant' because I pour old coffee out of my travel mug into the pot every morning. True to her gracious nature, Dr. Wife has tolerated it blocking the walk because she loves me, and it was a fruit I was experimenting with. I was really hoping to reward her patience with some delicious tropical fruit.
So after patiently waiting, keeping the plant watered, and protecting it from freezes, it finally flowered and fruited for me this year. I had read that that the fruit could taste very unpleasant if picked before completely ripe, so I waited to taste the fruit until one was nice and bright red, felt soft to the touch, and pulled away easily from the plant. I took a delicate test bite and was shocked. The fruit tasted absolutely terrible, tart, acidic, and resinous. The only thing I can think to compare it to is an unripe astringent persimmon, but with acidity of a sour lemon instead of the tannic pucker. I thought that perhaps that fruit had not been completely ripe, so I waited and waited for another fruit to fully ripen.
Finally, a darker-red fruit fell from the bush. It was very soft, and I thought for sure that this one would be better, but I was disappointed. While this fallen fruit was much less acidic and resinous than the first one I tried, it still tasted awful, and I don't think the fruit has the potential to get any better. The darker red to purple varieties are hard to find and reportedly better tasting, but based on how bad my red variety tasted, I'm not inclined to invest my money and time to grow one. Since I my family and I can't eat the fruit, I'm going to just get rid of the plant and replace it with something else. You can't win them all I guess.
So after patiently waiting, keeping the plant watered, and protecting it from freezes, it finally flowered and fruited for me this year. I had read that that the fruit could taste very unpleasant if picked before completely ripe, so I waited to taste the fruit until one was nice and bright red, felt soft to the touch, and pulled away easily from the plant. I took a delicate test bite and was shocked. The fruit tasted absolutely terrible, tart, acidic, and resinous. The only thing I can think to compare it to is an unripe astringent persimmon, but with acidity of a sour lemon instead of the tannic pucker. I thought that perhaps that fruit had not been completely ripe, so I waited and waited for another fruit to fully ripen.
Finally, a darker-red fruit fell from the bush. It was very soft, and I thought for sure that this one would be better, but I was disappointed. While this fallen fruit was much less acidic and resinous than the first one I tried, it still tasted awful, and I don't think the fruit has the potential to get any better. The darker red to purple varieties are hard to find and reportedly better tasting, but based on how bad my red variety tasted, I'm not inclined to invest my money and time to grow one. Since I my family and I can't eat the fruit, I'm going to just get rid of the plant and replace it with something else. You can't win them all I guess.
Surinam Cherry Bush
Cluster of fruit at various stages of ripeness.
Fallen Cherry
Each fruit contains one large seed.
