Jaboticaba : turtles feast on their fruits
Jaboticaba is an interesting name for a unique plant. Let's explore this plant in more detail.
This plant, from the Pliny genus and Myrtaceae family, has other names. It's also known as jabuticaba or Brazilian grape tree. It has Latin names as well.
This tree grows naturally in tropical areas. People also grow it there.
The jaboticaba is an evergreen. It keeps its leaves when healthy. Fully grown, its trunk can reach 5 to 12 meters tall, and some say up to 15 meters.
This plant isn't a vine, and it has no thorns. Its leaves are shaped like ovals or lances.
Leaves range from 25 to 100 mm long and 12.5 to 20 mm wide. The leaf surface is glossy.
The leaves are leathery and change color as they grow.
The Tupinamba, an old Indian tribe, gave jaboticaba its name. It means "turtle place". Turtles were often seen eating the fruit. The berries grow on the trunk. This helps insects pollinate the plant and animals spread the seeds.
In Brazil, the jaboticaba is popular. It's part of local stories and songs. A city is even named after it. There, you can find these plants in many yards. You can pick the berries for a small fee when they are in season.
