We had a marvelous crop of Jabuticaba berries in June. So we were looking forward to a fantastic harvest in September.
Here is our tree in the front yard in mid August with much more than usual berries.
The tree out in the back yard was loaded with berries also. with much more berries than usual. So we were expecting a very great harvest.
Then DISASTER STRUCK!
We had a very large possible harvest but all our fruit were hit by a rust disease in late August/early September. Therefore we have NO JABUTICABA nor MANGOES.
It was enough to make a grown man cry.
However we did get to make some Jabuticaba Jam from the berries of our next door neighbour. Her Jabuticaba berries were extraordinarily large this year.
We managed to get three and a third jars.
See . . . . here is proof we made some. What a mess, the pot boiled over.
But here are the four jars just waiting for toast and coffee next week. MMMMMMMMmmmmmm!
Wait until next year!
Photos by Urso Branco
Disaster 2009
A new year, a new crop
In late autumn (early June) we had a fresh crop of Jabuticaba berries. It was a small crop and usually the berries on the tree out front are bitter, but this year they were sweet.
Here were are just coming into bud.
There are many buds but not like they will be in September.
Soon they will be ready to eat. Just a snack.
They grow fast but this time not plentiful.
At the end of June you can see many berries up high for the birds.
They are growing big now.
The birds will enjoy the first fruits of winter.
But look how few are there for us. They were sweet but few.
Now in mid August the new crop is more plentiful.
We expect these ones, this year, to be big and sweet and plentiful because of the wet weather.
In September we will show you how wonderful this amazing Jabuticaba really is!
I always marvel at how Mother Nature glues the berries on the trunk of the tree!
Photos by Urso Branco
What a Great Harvest
On September 18 we were ready for a big harvest of Jabuticaba so we could make up to 6 jars of Geléia de Jabuticaba (Jabuticaba Jam).
Here are pics of what the berries looked like on the tree.
There are berries all over the tree. Here is Judy picking one.
They stretched way up the trunk.
They were plentiful all the way to the top of the tree.
So I started to pick some. Here is my first bowl.
Judy invited neighbours over to pick berries too.
Even Jabuti (the tortoise) got into the act. They love the berries.
The tree in the front yard has smaller berries.
There are many berries but they are not as good as the ones in the backyard.
But they sure are plentiful.
Look what the neighbours did to the tree in the backyard! They stripped it!
They picked ALL THE BERRIES way up beyond my reach. There are only berries for the birds remaining.
Photos by Urso Branco
What is in a name?
Wikipedia says:
The Jabuticaba (also called Brasilian Grape Tree, Jaboticaba, Jabotica, Guaperu, Guapuru, Hivapuru, Sabará and Ybapuru) is a fruit-bearing tree native to Brasil.
The fruit is purplish black, with a white pulp; it can be eaten raw or be used to make jellies and drinks (plain juice or wine).
The fruit tree (named jabuticabeira in Portuguese has red leaves when young, turning green posteriorly. Its flowers are white and grow directly from its trunk. The jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora [Myrtaceae]) is a small tree native to the Minas Gerais region near Rio de Janeiro in southern Brazil grown for the purple, grape-like fruits it produces.
Traditionally, an astringent decoction of the sun-dried skins has been used as a treatment for hemoptysis, asthma, diarrhea, and gargled for chronic inflammation of the tonsils.
The fruit is 3-4 cm in diameter with one to four large seeds, borne directly on the main trunks and branches of the plant, lending a distinctive appearance to the fruiting tree. It has a thick, purple, astringent skin that covers a sweet, white, gelatinous flesh. Common in Brasilian markets, jaboticabas are largely eaten fresh; their popularity has been likened to that of grapes in the US. Fresh fruit may begin to ferment 3 to 4 days after harvest, so they are often used to make jams, tarts, strong wines, and liqueurs. Several potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory anti-cancer compounds have been isolated from the fruit.
The name is derived from the Old Tupi language"Red-footed tortoise" Jabuti (tortoise) + Caba (place), meaning the place where you find tortoises.
Here is the view from the back of our big tree. The berries are more plentiful and larger.
Here is our tortoise. They are called "jabuti" by the Tupi. Our Mr. Tortoise loves the berries. So does Mrs. Tortoise!
In a couple weeks we will all share in the bounty.
Photos by Judy Kennedy
Bountiful Jabuticaba, Sep 2008
Two weeks after the berries started they are already big and turning colour. In a couple more weeks we will be having a great harvest.
Here are a couple pics of the Jabuticaba Tree in the front yard.
As you can see the tree is loaded with berries.
But look at the big tree in the back yard.
There will be lots of berries for everybody, birds, Me, Judy and the dogs.
Here are the easy ones for the dogs, right down at ground level.
Just look at the big clusters.
They are fighting for space.
I have never seen such a great collection of berries.
Even the back of the tree has lots of berries. These are at ground level.
So in a couple weeks we will have a big feast and make lots of Geleia Jabuticaba!! Mmmmmmmmmmm
Photos by Urso Branco
Jabuticaba flowers, Aug 2008
Two days after we saw the buds they came out in full blossom accompanied by an army of bees.
These may have been Jatai Bees because they are very tiny and difficult to see on the blossoms.
This is the back yard tree. Look how dense the blossoms are.
Each of those blossoms will be a delightful berry within two three weeks.
An unbelievable horde of berry blossoms.
We are very excited with this spectacle. Soon we will be making delicious Geleia Jabuticaba, if I can keep Judy from eating all the berries. *SMILE*!
Photos by Urso Branco
Jabuticaba buds, Aug 2008
We moved at the beginning of August and we were delighted to see we had two mature Jabuticaba trees at the new house, one in front and a huge one in back. On Aug 12th they burst into bud. Thousands of them!
Here is a collection of the buds just as they came out.
The buds came out way up to the top of the tree. The birds will love that!
They even came out right down to the ground. The dogs will love that!
Thousands of buds on the very tall tree.
Look at these clusters. Really amazing!
These are on the tree in the front yard.
They are all over the tree.
This shows the tree in the corner in the front yard. Handy for kids to jump the wall and steal the berries.
This is the view from the verandah. You can see the tree almost hangs over the wall.
We expect to have thousands of berries this year and we will make lots and lots of Geleia Jabuticaba!! Yummy!
Photos by Urso Branco
