Overview

Discover the delightful Barbados Cherry live plant (Malpighia emarginata), a versatile and rewarding addition to any home or garden. Also known as Acerola Cherry or Antilles Cherry, this small shrub or tree is celebrated for its dual appeal: ornamental beauty and highly nutritious fruit. Originating from the West Indies and parts of South and Central America, the Barbados Cherry thrives in warm climates and can be cultivated both indoors and outdoors in suitable zones. Our Barbados Cherry live plant comes ready to grow in a 4-inch pot, offering a convenient way to introduce this unique specimen into your collection. Its arching stems, vibrant green leaves, and charming pink flowers that give way to bright red, tart berries make it a captivating plant year-round.

This particular variety, Malpighia emarginata, is an excellent choice for those seeking an edible fruit plant that also adds aesthetic value. Whether you envision it as a compact houseplant, a striking bonsai subject, or an outdoor shrub providing fresh fruit, the Malpighia emarginata plant offers remarkable adaptability. The creeping stems and sometimes exposed roots can create interesting shapes, adding character to its form. The Acerola fruit, similar in appearance to a European cherry, is renowned for its exceptionally high vitamin C content, along with iron, calcium, and phosphorus, making it a superfood right from your own garden.

Key Benefits

Cultivating a Barbados Cherry live plant provides a myriad of benefits, from its aesthetic appeal to its nutritional offerings. This plant is a true jewel for enthusiasts of edible landscaping and ornamental gardening alike. Its year-round interest ensures there’s always something to admire.

• Nutrient-Rich Fruit Production: Enjoy a continuous supply of fresh, vitamin C-packed Acerola cherries. These bright red berries are not only delicious but also a powerhouse of essential nutrients, perfect for healthy snacking or adding to smoothies.
• Year-Round Ornamental Appeal: The Malpighia emarginata plant boasts attractive arching stems, glossy green leaves, and delicate pink flowers that bloom throughout the year, followed by vibrant red berries, providing continuous visual interest.
• Versatile Growing Options: Suitable for a variety of environments, this plant can be grown as an indoor houseplant, an outdoor shrub, a compact patio plant, or even trained as a beautiful bonsai specimen, making it highly adaptable to your space.
• Easy to Care For: While providing ample fruit and beauty, the Barbados Cherry live plant is relatively low-maintenance, making it a great choice for both novice and experienced gardeners looking for an edible fruit producer.
• Unique Edible Plant: Stand out with an Acerola cherry plant that offers a unique and exotic fruit often hard to find fresh in stores. Its tart flavor is a favorite for many culinary applications.
• Natural Air Purifier: Like many live plants, the Barbados Cherry contributes to a healthier indoor environment by naturally filtering air and improving humidity levels, enhancing the comfort of your living space.
• Attracts Pollinators: When grown outdoors, the delicate pink flowers of the Barbados Cherry will attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden, contributing to local biodiversity.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Barbados Cherry live plant is straightforward, allowing you to enjoy its beauty and bounty with ease. This adaptable shrub thrives in conditions that mimic its native tropical and subtropical environments. For optimal growth and fruit production, understanding its specific needs is crucial. Provide plenty of sunlight; this plant prefers full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily, especially when grown outdoors. If kept indoors, place it near a south-facing window or supplement with a grow light to ensure it receives adequate light. Insufficient light can lead to sparse flowering and reduced fruit yield.

Watering should be consistent but not excessive. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so ensuring good drainage is paramount. The Malpighia emarginata plant prefers a well-draining soil mix; a standard potting mix amended with perlite or sand works well. Fertilize every 2-4 weeks during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Reduce fertilization in fall and winter when growth slows. The Barbados Cherry is sensitive to cold temperatures and is best suited for USDA Zones 9-11 outdoors. If you are in a colder climate, it is essential to grow it in a container that can be brought indoors during the cooler months. Pruning can be done to maintain shape, encourage bushier growth, and improve fruit production, making it an excellent indoor cherry plant option.

Size & Details

Our Barbados Cherry live plant is shipped and arrives in a 4-inch nursery pot, providing a healthy, established start for your new edible fruit plant. At the time of shipment, plants typically stand between 6 to 12 inches tall, depending on growth and pruning. This shrub has a moderate growth rate and, if left unpruned outdoors, can reach up to 15 feet in height, though it can be easily maintained at a smaller, more manageable size for container growing or indoor environments. When cultivated as an Acerola cherry plant indoors, it will remain more compact, typically reaching 3-6 feet. The plant is ready to be transplanted into a larger pot or directly into your garden upon arrival. Expect the first blooms and fruit within 1-2 years under ideal growing conditions, offering a continuous harvest throughout the year in warmer climates.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Barbados Cherry live plant get? A: If planted outdoors in suitable climates and left unpruned, it can grow up to 15 feet tall. However, when grown in a container or indoors, it can be easily maintained at a smaller, more manageable size, typically between 3 to 6 feet with regular pruning.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Malpighia emarginata plant is versatile and can thrive both indoors and outdoors. It is suitable for outdoor planting in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder zones, it should be grown in a container and brought indoors before the first frost.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Acerola cherry plant need? A: This plant prefers full sun, ideally receiving at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. If growing indoors, place it near a bright, south-facing window or use supplemental grow lighting to ensure adequate light exposure.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Barbados Cherry is considered relatively easy to care for, making it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. It requires consistent watering, good drainage, and ample sunlight to flourish.
• Q: What condition will the edible fruit plant arrive in? A: Your plant will arrive healthy and well-packaged in a 4-inch nursery pot, ready for transplanting. We take great care to ensure it reaches you in excellent condition.
• Q: How long until it blooms and produces fruit? A: Under ideal growing conditions, your Barbados Cherry live plant can begin to bloom and produce fruit within 1 to 2 years of planting. In warmer climates, it can produce fruit continuously throughout the year.
• Q: What type of soil is best for a Barbados Cherry live plant? A: It thrives in well-draining soil. A good quality potting mix amended with perlite or sand to improve drainage is recommended, especially for container planting.
• Q: Will the fruit be tart or sweet? A: The fruit of the Barbados Cherry is known for its pleasant tart flavor. It is often compared to a European cherry but with a more acidic profile, making it excellent for juices, jams, and fresh eating for those who enjoy a tart taste.
• Q: Can I grow this as a bonsai? A: Absolutely! The natural arching stems and interesting root structures of the Malpighia emarginata plant make it an excellent candidate for bonsai cultivation. Regular pruning and shaping can create stunning miniature trees.
• Q: Is this an indoor cherry plant that can be grown year-round? A: Yes, in environments where outdoor conditions are not suitable year-round, the Barbados Cherry makes an excellent indoor plant. With proper light and care, it can continue to thrive and even produce fruit indoors.