Pitanga do campo

What it is

The fruit is oval, about 1.3 cm (0.5 in) long and 0.8 cm (0.3 in) wide, with a single seed inside. Cerejinha de Jaguariúna turns red when fully ripe, with sweetness and a little astringency, the dry feeling it leaves in your mouth.

Its scientific name is Eugenia punicifolia. Ordinary pitanga belongs to a different species, Eugenia uniflora, in the same family.

Where it comes from

This is a widely spread American fruit. Its range includes western Cuba and much of South America, from Venezuela and the Guianas through Brazil, Peru and Bolivia to Paraguay and northern Argentina. It grows in savannas and beside rivers, as well as in evergreen forests.

The Cerejinha de Jaguariúna form comes from surviving patches of Cerrado around Jaguariúna, in Brazil’s São Paulo state.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Carapebus, on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, the fruit is known as luzinha and eaten fresh. The Cerejinha de Jaguariúna form, from São Paulo state, is good fresh or made into jelly, juice and ice cream.

How it's grown

The plant keeps its leaves year-round and grows as a many-branched shrub or small tree, usually 2–5 m (6.5–16 ft) tall. Cerejinha de Jaguariúna stays much smaller, barely exceeding 1 m (3.3 ft), and can grow in a pot. That form grows in full sun and accepts most soils apart from waterlogged ground.

When and where you'll find it

The fresh fruit is gathered locally from wild plants. In Manaus, the largest crops usually come in January, February and March. Fruits fall soon after turning red, then dry out quickly on the ground; their ripe stage on the plant is brief.