Tropical Plant "Laranjinha-do-mato"
Eugenia speciosa

Characteristics - The Eugenia speciosa is a fruit bearer occasionally cultivated and relatively frequent in its natural habitat, the littoral levees and altitude forests, from Minas Gerais to Rio Grande do Sul. It is a small shrub, less than 1 m tall on the levees and a semi deciduous tree, 10-20 m tall, in the Pine Forest. Leaves chartaceous, bicolored, glabrous, 3-5 cm long (smaller on the shrub formas). Flowers solitary, axillary, with a peduncle of 15-20 mm, form in October – November. Fruits globose, smooth or slightly verrucose, crowned by persistent sepals, have a thin, carnose pulp, a slightly, sweet flavor, and 1-3 seeds; they mature in December – January.

Uses - The fruits are consumed in their natural form and are used to make jellies.

Propagation - Propagated by seeds.