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| Prolific and Sprawling Surinam Cherry Tree |
"The cherry tree was planted by my mother, Bea Kates. She used to make jelly from it's fruit. So my attachment to it's sweet messiness is tremendous. This is the most prolific year it has ever had. The cold winter has given so many plants a new boost on blooms."
Surinam cherry is often called Brazilian cherry, Cheyenne cherry, or Pitanga. The Surinam cherry is a popular ornamental shrub, commonly used for landscaping throughout the warmer states of the U.S., although it is native to the Amazon rainforest, the south of Brazil, French Guiana, Uruguay and Guyana.
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| Abundance of Surinam cherries |
The fruit of the Surinam cherry is very highly flavored, tasting similar to a mango. The fruit is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, iron, riboflavin and niacin, as well as being an excellent source of vitamin A. The Surinam cherry fruit is also rich in the antioxidants lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, gamma-carotene and rubixanthin.
As Lisa's Mom knew, the fruit readily releases its juices when sprinkled with sugar, and is used in jams and jellies, ice cream and fruit cups; as well as fermented into wine, vinegar and liqueurs.
Traditionally the benefits of Surinam cherry fruit come from its astringent and antiseptic qualities, clearing symptoms of diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal upsets. It is also thought to be effective in clearing respiratory symptoms. The fruit has also been used regularly to keep colds at bay.
Lisa's Tasty Surinam Cherry Pie
Falling fruit in Lisa & Richard's front yard
All those health benefits aside, as you can see, this year's bumper crop is a minor nuisance.
According to Lisa, "The weight of the fruit has caused the limbs to pull the tree apart. The only draw back to this tree's presence in our lives is the fermenting fruit that falls to the ground."
If you'd like to try some, we're sure Lisa and Richard are more than happy to share!
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