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Eugenia uniflora
Surinam Cherry, Pitanga
| Brush Cherries are widely planted in warm climates for their shiny evergreen leaves with bronzy, purple or red tints and showy fruit. They are best used as shrubs, hedges, topiary or small trees. The bronzy red coloring of new spring foliage turns deeper green in summer, though some varieties keep their rich foliage color all year. Small, white, fragrant flowers become edible fruit, which can be messy if unpicked. The heat-loving Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) is a slow-growing shrub that grows as wide as it is tall. The fast-growing Australian Brush Cherry (Eugenia myrtifolia, also sold as Syzygium paniculatum) tolerates light frosts. It is also available in slow-growing, 4- to 6-foot dwarf varieties. Do not plant near sidewalks. Shear hedges frequently. |
Can get 15 to 25 feet tall, but its slow, open growth usually reaches 6 to 8 feet. Its fragrant, white flowers turn into fruits, which change from green to deep red, at which point they are edible. Coppery green leaves deepen to purplish or red in cold weather.
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Attributes - Eugenia uniflora
Plant Type: Shrub
Bloom Season: Late Summer
Flower Color: White
Foliage: Evergreen
Height: 6 ft. to 20 ft.
Width: 8 ft.
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial Sun
Climate: Zones 9, 10
Notes: Thrives in Wet Soil. Fragrant.
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