Panama Berry – Muntingia calabura

Plant family: Muntingiaceae

Plant origin: Central America and Western South America.

Fruit description: Panama Berry fruit is about 15mm wide, smooth, shiny, round, and red when ripe. It contains many really tiny seeds. It is edible, sweet and juicy. Panama Berry fruits all year.

Flowers: Panama Berry flowers are about 3cm in diameter and have 5 white petals. They are like strawberry flowers, which gives Panama Berry the common name Strawberry Tree.

Growing conditions: Panama Berry is a small flowering tree that grows fast to 4 metres high. It is very pretty as the branches reach wide like an umbrella, and the leaves have weeping habit. It always has red fruit and white flowers among the soft green leaves. It can be grown in a pot or pruned to keep it compact. It is quite drought tolerant and also can tolerate light frost. It will start fruiting in its first year.

Uses: Panama Berry fruit is eaten fresh, it is sweet, juicy and delicious. It can also be pickled or preserved.

Medicinal uses:

Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.

Harvest time Panama Berry fruit is produced all year. Pick the fruit when it is red and has a slight give when gently pressed.

Plant relatives

Special features:

Grown by method: Seed Grown Pot size: 140mm

Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2.5 metres high by 2.5 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 4 metres high by 6 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.

Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 140mm