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Jamaican cherry – Muntingia calabura

Jamaican cherry

Muntingia calabura
Edible value5Medicinal value3Other uses7
Tree6×6 mzone 9–12light shade

Will it grow where I live?

Jamaican cherry is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 9): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.

Or check it for your location right here:

Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family
Muntingiaceae
Habit
Tree
Height
6 m
Spread
6 m
Growth
fast
Lifespan
30 years
First yield
after 2 years
Hardiness
zone 9–12
Shade tolerance
light shade
Soil
Sand, Silt, Loam
Soil moisture
semi-dry – very moist
pH
5.5 – 7.5
evergreen

Uses

Edible5 of 10
Medicinal3 of 10
Other uses7 of 10

Frequently asked questions

Jamaican cherry: how big does it get?

Jamaican cherry (Muntingia calabura) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 6 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 6 m. Growth is fast.

Jamaican cherry: what site does it need?

Jamaican cherry tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.

Jamaican cherry: is it hardy?

Jamaican cherry is listed as hardy in zone 9–12 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Jamaican cherry: will it grow in Central Europe?

Jamaican cherry is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 9): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.

Jamaican cherry: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Jamaican cherry. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Jamaican cherry: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 5/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 7/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

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All data without warranty. Site data and texts from the Permaplans database.

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