Sage Garden Herbs - Miracle Fruit

Miracle Fruit - 12" Pot

CAD $54.95

Currently Available: Pre-Book now for pick up in May, 2012

Description: This is really cool: the red berries of the Miracle Fruit turn everything you eat from sour to sweet! The berries themselves are very sweet, but they also leave a lingering coating in the mouth that will transform even the most sour lemon into sweet lemonade. The effect from one berry lasts approximately 20 minutes.

The Miracle Fruit plants available now are very bushy, approximately 2.5 foot tall specimens. The larger size gives you a significant head start on establishing a gorgeous container specimen, and you can expect berries once plants have settled into your space.

Latin Name: Synsepalum dulcificum
Main Uses: Culinary

Zone Hardiness: Tropical
Exposure: Diffused light outdoors / bright light indoors
Ht: 60+ cm. (2+ feet) as a houseplant
Flower Color: White
Flowering Time: Can flower twice per year as a container plant.

Miracle Fruit - 12" Pot

CAD $54.95

Pruning: Pinch stem tips regularly to keep plants bushy. Harvest regularly through the active growing season. Avoid cutting deep into woody stems.

Fruiting: Harvest fruits when bright red. To enjoy, take a single berry and place it in the mouth. Avoid biting it, but rather suck on the whole berry until the seed comes out. Remove the seed. Continue to suck on the berry, bringing the fruit into contact with different areas of your mouth. Then try biting something nice and sour!

Growing in Containers: Very well suited to containers.

Fertilizing (Containers): Add up to 50% Sea Soil compost to your potting mix. Fertilize every two weeks with a balanced organic plant food during the active growing season. In addition, using Sea Magic kelp weekly improves the over all health of your plants, increases stem strength, root development, and resilience to diseases.

Watering (Containers): This plant loves to be well watered during the summer months. Water deeply and check regularly.

Growing in Mixed Planters: Not well suited for mixed planters.

Fertilizing (Garden): Not well suited to in-ground gardens.

Watering (Garden): Not well suited to in-ground gardens.

Miracle Fruit - 12" Pot

CAD $54.95

Suitability for Indoors: Excellent houseplant for green thumbs - requires a little extra attention to flourish.

Exposure: Brightest available.

What about Grow Lights? Grow lights are not required, but will keep plants actively growing during the short daylight hours of winter.

General Indoor Care: This variety is happy when grown warm year round. Bring indoors by Labour Day, and choose a location that is bright and never gets below 15 C. Although Miracle Fruit prefers diffused light outdoors during the summer, it is best to provide a bright location when growing indoors. If leaves become sun scalded, move away from direct exposure to sun. Avoid heat/air conditioning vents. To improve humidity for your plants, set up a pebble tray; this is simply a layer of rocks set on the plant's saucer (not in the pot, but below it!). Any water that runs through the drainage holes is captured among the rocks and evaporates up around the plants. Rinse plants under fast flowing fresh water every few weeks to remove dust and significantly reduce the chance of pest problems.

Indoor Container Suggestions: Minimum deep 8" pot with excellent drainage. The ultimate size of this variety is very much influenced by the size of container you choose. However, pot up in increments of 2".

Winter Fertilizing: Miracle Fruit requires acidic soil, and benefits from an organic fertilizer geared towards plants such as Blueberries or Potatoes (we offer a great one, called Welcome Harvest Potato Mix).

Repot or refresh soil in fall, when bringing pots indoors. Add up to 25% quality compost. No additional fertilizing is required between October and January. As light levels go up, and new growth emerges, start fertilizing monthly, using an acid-loving plant food. If growing under lights, fertilize bi-weekly right through winter. Non-organic fertilizers are not recommended, as these can cause burning or difficult-to-manage changes in the soil.

Winter Watering: Water deeply when top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. Check soil moisture at least once per week. As daylight hours increase, watering requirements will also increase.

Special Instructions: During the transition from summer to winter - especially where plants move from outdoors in - Bay Rum can experience some stress. A common symptom of this stress is a certain amount of leaf drop. Don't worry if this occurs, new growth will follow shortly. Pay attention to not over water during this period - only water as the top inch of soil dries out.

Links to More Information:

Tropical Spice & Fruiting Plants

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