Ugni molinae Seeds - Chilean Guava, Ugniberry, New Zealand Cranberry - Edible Fruit Shrub

Ugni molinae Seeds

Common Names: Chilean Guava, Ugniberry, New Zealand Cranberry, Tazziberry

Synonyms: Myrtus ugni and Eugenia ugni

Native to South America - Chile and adjacent regions of southern Argentina. Chilean Guava is a highly decorative plant grown for its foliage, flowers and berries. The leaves are opposite, oval, 1-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm broad, entire, glossy dark green, with a spicy scent if crushed. The flowers are drooping, 1 cm diameter with four or five white or pale pink petals and numerous short stamens; the fruit is a tasty, small dark red, white or purple berry 1.5 cm in diameter. It was first described by Juan Ignacio Molina (hence its name) in 1782. It was introduced to England in 1844 by the botanist and plant collector William Lobb, where it became a firm favourite with Queen Victoria who requested that a jam be made from the sweet berries.The edible berries can be eaten raw or used for pie fillings and jam etc. The berries have an absolutely delicious flavour, it is very aromatic and tastes of wild strawberries. Some commercial "strawberry flavouring" is made from this species, not from strawberries. The fruit is about 15mm in diameter and is freely borne even on young/small plants. The dark red berries should be just soft to touch before eating. Leaves are a tea substitute. The roasted seeds can be used as a coffee substitute. Chilean Guava usually grows to 2m by 1m at a slow/medium rate but mature plants can attain 4.5m in height in warm/tropical climates. Grows best in full sun in acidic, well drained soil, but tolerates light shade. Suitable for hedges, topiary and shrubberies. Prune in winter to maintain compact growth. It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. The plant is self-fertile.

Ugni is a genus of about 10 species of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to western South America and Central America from the Valdivian temperate rain forests of southern Chile and adjacent regions of southern Argentina, north to southern Mexico, and also the Juan Fernández Islands of Chile. They are shrubs with evergreen foliage, reaching 1–5 m tall. The leaves have a spicy scent if crushed. The Ugni genus consists of the following species. Ugni angustifolia, Ugni bridgesii, Ugni candollei, Ugni disterigmoides, Ugni molinae, Ugni montana, Ugni myricoides, Ugni philippii, Ugni poeppigii, Ugni selkirkii and Ugni vaccinioides.