# Brazilian tortoises eating Brazilian fruit



## cdmay (Feb 21, 2011)

These are the fruits of the Brazilian grape tree or jaboticaba, _Myrciaria __cauliflora_. These grape-like fruit are odd in that they grow directly along the tree's trunk and limbs.
Jaboticaba trees are native to Minas Gerais, Bahia and other parts of eastern Brazil. Related species occur in Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.












The immature fruit are green but they quickly turn black when fully ripe.






The flesh is very sweet although the thick skin sometimes has a slight turpentine aftertaste similar to muscadine grapes. They are great to eat right off the tree (I spit the skin out) and they make superb jelly.
I have found that squirrels really love them and they tend to knock quite a few of the fruit off the tree where my tortoises get them.
When my tree is producing a lot of fruit my cherryhead redfoots go directly to it after emerging from their overnight hides. Its not surprising to me that these tortoises that are also native to eastern Brazil relish these fruit.











The little guys LOVE them as well but they just can't seem to wrap their mouths around the big things.






The skin is too thick for them anyway so I open a few and remove the seeds that are too big for the smaller tortoises to handle.
I have seen photos of really large jaboticaba trees growing wild in Brazil and I think it would be neat to wait under a fruiting specimen for tortoises to come to it.


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## ChiKat (Feb 21, 2011)

Wow, very cool! Thanks for sharing. I have never heard of that fruit before.


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## jackrat (Feb 21, 2011)

I wonder what is the lowest temp they could tolerate.I would love to have some of these growing.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 21, 2011)

I'd like a couple too. I did a search:

Category:
Edible Fruits and Nuts
Trees
Tropicals and Tender Perennials

Height:
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
20-30 ft. (6-9 m)
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)

Spacing:
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 Â°C (25 Â°F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 Â°C (30 Â°F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 Â°C (35 Â°F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 Â°C (40 Â°F)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun

I don't know from a or b, but here in my zone, 9, it looks like the tree is hardy down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Now I'm going to do a search in the "shopping" mode!!


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## allegraf (Feb 21, 2011)

Carl,

Mr. Lue is jealous! His jaboticaba has not shown any signs of fruiting after being in the ground for two plus years. Even then, the torts may not get any since he likes the fruits as well. 

Allegra


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## cdmay (Feb 21, 2011)

allegraf said:


> Carl,
> 
> Mr. Lue is jealous! His jaboticaba has not shown any signs of fruiting after being in the ground for two plus years. Even then, the torts may not get any since he likes the fruits as well.
> 
> Allegra



Yes, that is one of the drawbacks about them---they grow about as fast as a tortoise (or rock) for the first few years. Typically it takes a jaboticaba 10 years to fruit from seedling or cutting.


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## terryo (Feb 21, 2011)

Now I am extremely jealous! I don't even know what zone I'm in. Do they like snow?

Hey look....maybe I'll get one as a bonsai'
http://www.silverbonsai.com/bonsai_jaboticaba.htm


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## Candy (Feb 21, 2011)

Terry I believe you could find anything with your computer.  I would have never even thought they grew that way. So how old are your now Carl and where did you first get them? Can you ship me some of your fruit for Dale? LOL only joking.


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## Madkins007 (Feb 21, 2011)

So let's review:

Carl: "Here you see my Red-foots eating and relishing a fruit that none of the rest of you can grow, or even get! HA HA HA HA HA!"

Us: (Writhing in envy)


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## terryo (Feb 21, 2011)

We can get it Mark...Yay...we can get it....(jumps up and down)
http://www.eat-it.com/plants.php?func=view&id=250

If we want it....this is the one that I REALLY want. 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003AU5TOO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
This summer I'm going to post pictures of Pio and Solo eating the figs that fall on the ground. Ha!!


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## Balboa (Feb 21, 2011)

I love the idea of giving them native foods so this GREAT! Thanks Carl, and Terry for pointing out the bonsai.

That's a spendy plant, but would certainly be cool.


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## ChiKat (Feb 21, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> So let's review:
> 
> Carl: "Here you see my Red-foots eating and relishing a fruit that none of the rest of you can grow, or even get! HA HA HA HA HA!"
> 
> Us: (Writhing in envy)



haha! 



terryo said:


> We can get it Mark...Yay...we can get it....(jumps up and down)
> http://www.eat-it.com/plants.php?func=view&id=250



Very cool! I love how a category under Plant Characteristics is "Fun For Kids: Very Good"


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## Jacqui (Feb 25, 2011)

terryo said:


> We can get it Mark...Yay...we can get it....(jumps up and down)
> http://www.eat-it.com/plants.php?func=view&id=250
> 
> If we want it....this is the one that I REALLY want.
> ...



Now that is just plain dirty of you!   Some day, some day my hingebacks are gonna get some figs to eat! 





Madkins007 said:


> So let's review:
> 
> Carl: "Here you see my Red-foots eating and relishing a fruit that none of the rest of you can grow, or even get! HA HA HA HA HA!"
> 
> Us: (Writhing in envy)



 exactly!


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