Tropical Plant "Pitangatuba"
Eugenia neonitida

Characteristics - The pitangatuba is a fruit bearer, occasionally cultivated in domestic orchards and found in its natural habitat, the Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is an evergreen shrub, 1-2 m tall, with branches arranged, more or less, horizontally. Leaves chartaceous, quasi-sessile, dark green and glabrous on the upper surface and lighter and velvety underneath, lustrous, 3-5 cm long. Flowers, androgynous, white, arranged on terminal pseudo-racemes with uniflorous peduncles, form from July to October. Fruits are oblong, alate-costate, with a thin skin, a think pulp, canoes-succulent, with a very pleasant acidic flavor, containing 1-2 seeds that separate easily from the pulp. Studies have shown that the latter contains high levels of ascorbic acid. Maturation in October – January.

Uses - The fruits are consumed in their natural state (out of hand, juices, sherberts) or made into jellies.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.