Today I planted a Surinam cherry that is usually a shrub but can turn into a small tree. They are originally from the South American east coast but is found growing everywhere in the tropics. The first time I tasted one I wasn’t very impressed. In fact, I remember that it was pretty sour and tart and tasted like a chemical you would put into a car. However, the flavor of the surinam cherry highly depends on the genetics and the ripeness of the fruit.
This one I planted is a seedling from Adam and Katie’s farm and the Surinam cherry I tried there was just slightly tart and super sweet. You have to pick them at the peak ripeness when they are wine colored. The window for that is pretty short and it will either fall to the ground or the birds will eat them.
These trees can get loaded with their mini pumpkin shaped fruit at varying stages and and the juice can be turned into a tart jam or a sauce with a deep red color. The surinam cherry can be shaped into a nice dense hedge. We planted six of these in a line over a year ago so we haven’t had any fruits yet. Something Im looking forward to incorporating into the chocolates!
Originally posted on 2021-10-24, part of the daily planting journal behind Ha’a Chocolate’s food forest on Hawai’i Island.