This is my on-going documentary about growing jaboticabas in Florida. It covers the growth progress of my Red and Sabara jaboticabas, potting mix, the different jaboticaba varieties I learn that exists and jaboticaba sellers I know along with pictures of jaboticaba trees from other growers.

General information: Jaboticaba fruit trees are among the slowest growing fruit trees. They do have a long life span and will grow very big. Jaboticaba prefers acidic rich organic moist but not wet soil. The flowers and fruits grow along the mature trunks and limbs

Potting mix recipe:

Since jaboticaba trees need acidic soil, I blend 1 part perlite, 1 part fine pine mulch, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part mushroom compost or organic compost into a 15-gallon pot to plant my young Red Jaboticaba.

In ground planting:

Pruning and Shaping Jaboticaba Trees

Some people prefer their jaboticaba trees to be bushy so that the lower baby branches hide the fruits from birds or simply just like a bushy shape. Jaboticaba is considered a big tree even though it is a super slow grower. I prefer to shape my jaboticaba trees into a tree shape with a defined trunk and canopy at the top. Thinning those baby branches out help allow nutrients to concentrate on nurturing the main trunks so the fruits grow on them nicely.

(Attach more Before and After pruning collages here)

Different varieties of jaboticabas

1. Sabara Jaboticaba

I bought my Sabara Jaboticaba in 2020 from Nick’s Edibles in St. Cloud, Florida. The tree was only 3-foot tall for $40 back then. I potted the tree in a 15-gallon pot and then into a 25-gallon pot. In fall 2022, I planted the jaboticaba in the ground It’s still hasn’t fruited for me. During the past two years, I have focused on pruning and shaping the tree. It was a bushy 3-foot tall shrub when I first bought it. Now the tree has a defined trunk with two or three main limbs and it is about 5-foot tall.

Insert pictures – TBA

2. Red Jaboticaba

3/15/23: I visited Luke’s garden to check out his fruit tree collections. Luke, my friend, gifted my kids and me one of his Red jaboticaba. He has two. One is fruiting and I was going to take that home for my kids and I to babysit for a few years until he finds a permanent home for all his fruit trees. The kids love the Red jaboticaba so much so Luke ended gifting me his other tree that hasn’t fruited yet to add to my fruit tree collection.

Other Varieties of Jaboticabas

Jaboticaba Fruit Tree Sellers I Know and Trust:

1. Leaph in West Palm Beach, admin of Florida Food Forest on Facebook (private seller)

2. Nick Finan from Nick’s Edibles in St. Cloud

3. Lonny Reid from Reid’s Farm in Deland, Florida

Other Sellers: If you sell jaboticaba trees or fruits, feel free to leave a comment to market yourself with a website link please.

Just photos of jaboticaba trees from other growers in Florida

For the jaboticaba growers, if you would like me to showcase a collage of your tree here, please use the “Contact” and send me 4 photos along with your first name and city, so I can create a collage for the pictures.

Links to more online resources and information here: TBA