Cambucá

Plinia edulis

Orange fruit borne right on the trunk, like a bigger jaboticaba; slow, rare and worth the wait.

Type: small tree · tropical and subtropical food plants
Hardiness: zones 10 to 11
Light: part shade
Size: about 25 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: June to August
From: Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
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.

Native to: Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Hardy in zones 10 to 11.

The story

Cambucá grows wild only in a small stretch of coastal forest in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and is now threatened. Like jaboticaba, it carries its fruit right on the trunk and main branches.

Planting

Part shade to sun, deep, moist, rich soil. Grow from fresh seed; it is slow and may take ten years or more to bear.

Growing

Mulch deeply and water in dry spells; protect it from frost and strong wind.

Harvest and use

Round orange fruit with a sweet, slightly tangy pulp; eat fresh or make juice and jam.

What to watch for

Very slow to bear, so plant it for the long run. Rare and hard to find outside Brazil.

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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