Pitomba - Eugenia luschnathiana
Pitomba fruit
Fig. 1 
Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana

Fruit, flesh and seeds
Fig. 2 magnifying glass
Fruit, flesh and seeds

Leaves
Fig. 3 magnifying glass

New growth
Fig. 4 magnifying glass
New leaf growth

Flower
Fig. 5 magnifying glass

Close-up of a flower
Fig. 6 magnifying glass

Grumichama flower vs pitomba flower
Fig. 7 magnifying glass
Grumichama flower vs pitomba flower

Flower habit
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Flower habit

Developing pitomba
Fig. 9 magnifying glass
Developing pitomba fruit

Fruit forming
Fig. 10 magnifying glass
Fruit forming

A bumper crop, Florida US
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Close-up of the fruit
Fig. 12 magnifying glass
A bumper crop, Florida US

Pitomba seeds
Fig. 13 magnifying glass

Pitomba bush
Fig. 14 magnifying glass
Pitomba bush

Pitomba preserve
Fig. 15 magnifying glass
Pitombas make delicious preserves


Scientific name
Eugenia luschnathiana Klotzsch & O.Berg
Common names
English: pitomba; Brazil: uvalha do campo, ubaid do campo, or uvalheira
Synonyms
Eugenia duckeana Mattos; E. lucescens Nied.; Phyllocalyx luschnathianus O.Berg 5,7
Relatives
Allspice, Pimenta dioica; cherry of the Rio Grande, E. aggregata; grumichama, E. brasiliensis; guava, Psidium spp.; jaboticaba, Myrciaria cauliflora; Surinam cherry, E. uniflora; uvalha, E. uvalha
Family
Myrtaceae (myrtle family)
Origin
Bahia, Brazil
Uses
Fruit; specimen or screening hedges
Height
Up to 25 ft (7.6 m)
Width
15 ft (4.6 m) 4
Crown
Densely foliated; medium texture
Plant habit
Large shrub or small tree; upright and compact habit
Growth rate
Slow
Trunk/bark/branches
Short; single trunk; flaking grey bark 3
Leaves
Evergreen; opposite, lanceolate, 2-3 in. (5.1-7.6 cm) long, dark and glossy
Flowers
White, 4 petals; prominent tuft of white stamens; Mar.-June
Fruit
Bright orange-yellow, obovate, 1.5' diameter; smooth, thin, glossy skin; juicy
Season
July, Aug.; light fall crop
Light requirement
Full sun; tolerates part shade
Soil tolerances
It will grow on most soils
pH preference
5.5-6.5; not tolerant of alkaline soils
Aerosol salt tolerance
Excellent
Soil salt tolerance
Excellent salt tolerance if in good condition nutritionally 4
Wind tolerance
High
Cold tolerance
27 °F (-2.8 °C)
Roots
Shallow root system
Pest/disease resistance
Susceptible to the Caribbean fruit fly
Known hazard
None



Reading Material

The Pitomba, Manual Of Tropical And Subtropical Fruits

Pitomba, Fruits of Warm Climates

Selected Eugenia Species, University of Florida pdf (archived)

The Pitomba, University of Florida, Palm Beach County
Pitomba, Archives of the Rare Fruit Council of Australia



Origin

This little-known species is native to the State of Bahia, Brazil, is cultivated to a limited extent locally and is grown in the botanical garden in Rio de Janeiro. Seeds were brought to the United States from Brazil by plant explorers for the federal Department of Agriculture in 1914 (S.P.I. #37017). A very few specimens, scarcely more than shrubs, have been grown to the fruiting stage in southern Florida. The pitomba was at first considered promising for this area but has made no progress at all in the last 40 years. 2

Video: 6:03
All about pitomba

Eugenias, South American Berries, Sub-Tropical Fruit Club of Qld

Description

The pitomba is an attractive, small tree that produces and abundance of yellow, aromatic, cherrylike fruit. However, it is rarely seen outside of collections. While the pitomba is not likely to achieve commercial status in Florida, it makes an excellent dooryard crop and is worth planting on a broader scale. The treee is easy to care for and is relatively free of problems. However, the fruit is subject ot attack by the Caribbean fruit fly. 3

Leaves
The leaves are lanceolate, 3 inches long, glossy and deep green on the upper surface, light green below. 4
New growth is temporarily coated with bronze hairs on the underside. 2

Flowers
Snowy white yellow flowers up to an inch and a half across are borne during the spring months and the fruit ripens about a month to six weeks later. Flower season is usually April through June. 4

Fruit
The fruit is broadly obovoid, about an inch long, with the apex crowned by 4 or 5 green sepals, about 1/2 inch long. The thin skin is a bright orange yellow. The soft, melting, juicy flesh is orange in color and aromatic, sweet to subacid in flavor. The fruit contains 1 to several seeds attached to one side of the seed cavity. The fruit matures from May to June and sometimes there is a light crop in the fall. The pitomba usually begins fruiting in about the fourth year after planting. 6

Propagation
Pitombas are easily propagated by seeds, but superior varieties that have larger or better quality fruit can be veneer-grafted. There are no named varieties of pitomba available currently, but people do select from larger or more heavier bearing varieties and propagate those by grafting. Seeds are used by most nurserymen for propagation and seedlings take two or more years to begin fruiting. 4

Planting
Trees grow readily over a wide variety of soils, but have less micronutrient problems under acidic conditions. If grown close to the coast usually they have excellent salt tolerance if in good condition nutritionally. Trees prefer sun for optimum fruiting, but will tolerate partial shade. 4

Irrigation
It requires irrigation during establishment and during periods of drought. 3

Pests
The tree, like its cousin the cherry of the Rio Grande, may suffer from an unexplained dieback. This is rarely fatal. Maggots of the Caribbean fruit fly sometimes ruin the fruit. 3

Caribbean Fruit Fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew)
, University of Florida pdf

Diseases
No serious disease problems.

Food Uses
The fruits are there used mainly for jelly, preserves, and carbonated beverages. 2

Video: 5:26
A bumper crop of pitombas

Other Uses
Because of its slow growth habit, it makes an excellent container plant. It can grown and fruit quite well in seven-to-ten-gallon-sized containers.

Other Edible Eugenia species:

Cherry of the Rio Grande, E. involucrata
Grumichama, E. brasiliensis
Rain Forest Plum, E. candolleana
Surinam Cherry, E. uniflora


List of Growers and Vendors


Bibliography

1 "Eugenia luschnathiana." Wikipediawikipedia.org. Accessed 2 Mar. 2015.

Fruits of Warm Climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, 1987.

3 Boning, Charles. Florida's Best Fruiting Plants: Native and Exotic Trees, Shrubs and Vines. Sarasota, Pineapple Press, 2006.

4 Joyner, Gene. "The Pitomba." UF/IFAS, Palm Beach County ExtensionAskIFAS, ifas.ufl.edu. Accessed 6 Mar. 2015.
5 "Eugenia luschnathiana synonyms." theplantlist.org. The Plant List (2010). Version 1. Accessed 26 Dec. 2017.
6 Phillips, Richard L. "Selected Eugenia Species."Horticultural Sciences Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, HS41, Original pub. Apr. 1994, Reviewed Nov. 2005, AskIFASedis.ifas.ufl.eduArchived. Accessed 26 Feb. 2017.
7 Mazine, F. F., et al. " Eugenia luschnathiana (O.Berg) Klotzsch ex B.D.Jacks." Eugenia in Flora do Brasil 2020, Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, (CC BY-SA 4.0), floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/reflora/floradobrasil/FB10444. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.

Videos

v1 "All About Pitomba!" Truly Tropical, 10 Oct. 2018, (CC0), www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEGAKJDP4Kg. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.
v2 "A Bumper Crop of Pitomba!" Truly Tropical, 30 Apr. 2021, (CC0), www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M0wacGAXBE. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.

Photographs

Fig. 1 Sergio, Antonio. "UBAIA - Eugenia luschnathiana, Myrtaceae." Flickr, 2006, flickr.com. Accessed 2 Mar. 2015.
Fig. 2,4,8,10 "Eugenia luschnathiana, Phyllocalyx luschnathianus." Top Tropicals, toptropical.com. Accessed 6 Mar. 2015.

Fig. 3,5,14 Bronson, Eric. "Eugenia luschnathiana." I likE plants!, Wikimedia Commons, 2009, (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US), commons.wikimedia.org. Accessed 2 Mar. 2015.

Fig. 6,9,11,15 "A Bumper Crop of Pitomba!" Truly Tropical, 30 Apr. 2021, (CC0), www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M0wacGAXBE. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.
Fig. 7,12,13 "All About Pitomba!" Truly Tropical, 10 Oct. 2018, (CC0), www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEGAKJDP4Kg. Accessed 5 Oct. 2021.

UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas
** Information provided is not intended to be used as a guide for treatment of medical conditions.

Published 2 Mar. 2015 LR. Last update 6 Oct. 2021 LR
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