Common name: Barbados Cherry, Wild Crapemyrtle, Acerola
Flowering period: April to October
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Description
The Barbados cherry is a shrub or small tree that grows up to 15 feet tall with wide spread branches and evergreen oval leaves.
The leaves are evergreen, simple, 0.5-15 cm long, with an entire, wavy margin.
The flowers are solitary or in umbels of two to several together, each flower 1-2 cm diameter, with five pink or white petals.
The fruit is a red, orange or purple drupe, containing 2-3 hard seeds. It is sweet and juicy, and very rich in vitamin C, up to 65 times that of an orange.
Uses
Eaten fresh or as flavouring for drinks.
Commonly used in parts of South America to flavour ice creams, drinks, and cocktails.
The leaves are used against dysentery and diarrhoea.
Also used for liver ailments; fruit used against the common cold.