Jamaican cherry

Muntingia calabura

fruit

Tiny red berries, very sweet, tasting of cotton candy, picked by hand from the tree; the flowers are drunk as a tea.

Origin

Tropical America, naturalized in Southeast Asia

Where to find it

From the West Indies to Mexico, it is a tree of yards and roadsides.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

The berries are picked bright red and soft, and eaten raw, whole, with their tiny seeds.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Pectins · Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

In Indonesia, where it is called kersen, children climb street trees for its fruits.