Plants currently ship about 1 foot tall with a 4 inch pot!
The Barbados cherry is a large, bushy shrub or small tree attaining up to 20 ft (6 m) in height and an equal breadth. Its evergreen leaves are elliptic, oblong, obovate, or narrowly oblanceolate, somewhat wavy. It doesn’t lose its leaves in the fall. Although over or underwatering can cause the leaves to get yellow and fall off . The flowers, in sessile or short-peduncled cymes, have 5 pink or lavender, spoon-shaped, fringed petals. The fruits, borne singly or in 2's or 3's in the leaf axils, are oblate to round, cherry-like but more or less obviously 3-lobed, bright-red, with thin, glossy skin and orange-colored, very juicy, acid to subacid, pulp. The pulp or flesh is soft and easy to eat. Unripe cherries will be tart and more astringent tasting. It is hard to compare the taste to other fruits, maybe a mix between an apple, cherry, and plum. The acerola cherry is very nutritious. Eat it like you would a classic cherry. Pop it in your mouth and use your teeth and tongue to eat around the three little seeds inside. Unlink traditional cherries, the Acerola cherry has three little pits.
It can withstand full sun in temps of 120F no problem, and it is fairly drought tolerant as well. However, they don’t like temps below 30F. The Barbados cherry can be classed as tropical and subtropical, for mature trees can survive brief exposure to 28º F (-2.22º C). Young plants are killed by any drop below 30º F (-1.11º C). It is naturally adapted to both medium- and low-rainfall regions; can tolerate long periods of drought, though it may not fruit until the coming of rain.
The tree does well on limestone, marl and clay, as long as they are well drained. The pH should be at least 5.5. Elevation to 6.5 significantly improves root development. Acid soils require the addition of lime to avoid calcium deficiency and increase yield. The lime should be worked into the soil to a depth of 8 in (20 cm) or more.
Grows Zones: 4-11 patio / 9-11 outdoors
Sunlight: Full-Partial
Harvest Time: March - August
Year to Bear: Can Fruit the 1st Year!
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Soil/PH/Texture: Acid to slightly alkaline.
Soil Moisture: Prefers moist, well-drained soil.