Cagaita
Eugenia dysenterica
A cerrado myrtle with pale yellow, juicy fruit at the end of the dry season. Eat a few, not a bowlful: fresh fruit is famously laxative.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 25 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: March to April
From: Brazilian cerrado
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: Tropical South America. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Cagaita is a cerrado myrtle whose fruit marks the end of the dry season; people in Goiás and Minas Gerais make it into juice, jam and ice cream.
Planting
Full sun in well-drained cerrado soil; drought-hardy once established.
Growing
Easy and slow-growing. Water young trees through the first dry season and keep the base mulched.
Harvest and use
The pale yellow fruit ripens quickly in a short window. Eat a few fresh, or cook into jam and juice.
What to watch for
Fresh fruit is strongly laxative, especially if it has started to ferment in the sun. Eat in moderation and pick it fresh.
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home