Native & adapted

Cherry of the Rio Grande

Eugenia involucrata

Also known as Rio Grande cherry · Cerella · Cereja-do-rio-grande

A Brazilian 'tropical cherry' that is actually quite cold hardy. Its dark purple fruit tastes much like a real cherry and ripens in spring.

EdibleFruitingEvergreenContainer friendlyCold hardy

Landscape layersLower canopy · Understory · Hedging

Mature size

10–15 ft tall and 6–10 ft wide; easy to keep at 6–8 ft in a pot

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Plant spacing

8–10 ft apart

Frost

Hardy to about 20°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE

Hardiness guidance

USDA 9–11; hardy to about 20°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

April and May, a few weeks after flowering.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Slightly acidic, fast-draining soil rich in compost. Add soil sulfur in Phoenix.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

East side of a wall or under a nurse tree canopy.

Cold hardiness

Cover while young

Established plants handle about 20°F, so they're fine in a normal Phoenix winter. Young plants need cover on frost nights.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 20°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Likes full sun and fruits in spring, before the worst heat. In Phoenix, afternoon shade and water through flowering and fruiting keep the leaves from burning.

Sources:

growables.com

Right plant, right place

Will Cherry of the Rio Grande grow at your Arizona property?

Can be grown as a specimen, a hedge or in a large pot.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Morning sun with shade once temperatures pass about 90°F.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate and steady. Deep water twice a week in summer.

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fertile.

Harvest

How to use it

Fresh, or in jams and jellies.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Cherry of the Rio Grande thrive

1
Shade from afternoon sun once it gets hot.
2
Feed with an acid-forming fertilizer in spring.
3
Mulch to keep roots cool and moist.
4
Pick fruit when dark purple; it softens quickly.

Read the horticultural reference ↗