Growing miracle fruit

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:44 pm Post subject: Growing miracle fruit

I recently acquired a miracle fruit, about a week ago. I am growing it in a pot on my patio, in the shade, because its so hot out now. I am also watering it with rain water. It seems to be doing okay so far. Is anyone else growing miracle fruit here, and how is it going?

Bkaus · Joined: 31 Jul 2012 Posts: 136 Location: North Phoenix

I have one but after almost killing it by putting it outside I moved it inside in front of a window in addition to a CFL daylight bulb over it. I’ve had it for ~three years now and it’s about the same height as when I got it, growing very slow for me. I put it outside during a rain storm and water it with rain water or RO in addition to misting the plant often. I have been replacing the top ~3inches of the soil with peat moss every 12months and covering it with a 1in of pine bark nuggets. It flowers after being put out in the rain but it wasn't fruiting until I started to hand pollinated with a tiny paint brush. I’ve had three crops of ~12-20 berries this year, last year only one crop. The trunk is about the size of a broom handle and about 3 feet tall.

Unsweetened yogurt tastes like sweet cream after eating a berry and the look on my daughter's face was priceless by the delight she had eating the unsweetened yogurt. Very Happy

Bkaus · Joined: 31 Jul 2012 Posts: 136 Location: North Phoenix

picture of the tree

phoenixtropicals · Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2015 2:20 pm Post subject:

Very cool. Thanks for the info. It sounds like it actually fruits fairly easily. Mine is outside right now in full shade and even with 115 F temps seems to be doing fine. Not growing much but not burning either. Was it the summer sun that almost killed it, or was it during a milder time of year? Sometimes just the transition from shade to sun is too much for a plant if done quickly, no matter what the weather. What about filtered shade outside?

I definitely think I'll always keep it in a pot because everywhere I read says they need an acid soil and there is no way that can be done in the ground here. I might try filtered shade during the milder times of the year and full shade in summer. I am fertilizing with Alaska Fish 5-1-1 which is really acidic. 4.5 ph or something like that.