GUATTERIA AUSTRALIS

(Guetteria nigrescens is one of the 43 botanical synonyms)

FAMILY OF ANNONACEAE

 

 

NOMENCLATUR AND IMPORTANCE: GUATARIA comes from the Tupi, but the meaning has not yet been deciphered, and is also called Pindaiva preta. We discovered this interesting fruit during an expedition in January 2011.

 

Origin: Native to the semi-evergreen forests (they shed their leaves in a season from) and in the Atlantic rain forest of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Su where it appears sporadically in groups and a lack of other places. More information in Portuguese at the link: http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/2012/index?mode=sv&group=Root_.Angiospermas_&family=Root_.Angiospermas_.Annonaceae_&genus=Guatteria&species=&author=&common=&occurs=1&region=&state=&phyto=&endemic=&origin=&vegetation=&last_level=subspecies&listopt=1

  

Features: Shrub of the undergrowth, growing upright and sideways, grows 3 to 7 feet tall. The trunk is greenish-brown, with almost smooth bark and the crown is very branched with branches of clear green color. The leaves are simple, alternate, cardboard-like, two-tone, avocado green on top and whitish on the underside. The leaf is elongate, wedge-shaped at the base or the tip is rounded, it measures 9-14 cm long and 2 to 3.5 cm long. The flowers are single, in the leaf axils with 5 fleshy, velvety petals of 10 to 24 mm in length. The thin-skinned berries measure the diameter 0.8 to 1.3 cm, they appear in round under from 1.5 to 2.2 cm in length. Each fruit contains a cylindrical seed of 4 mm length.

  

Culture tips: Subtropical plant is more adapted to temperate climates where freezing down to -3°C occur, can be grown all over Brazil at every altitude, adapts well to sandy, red or yellow soils are deep and well drained, with acid pH and enriched well of dissolved organic substances. This kind can be cultivated successfully in large containers of 60 cm height and 40 cm in width with the substrate of 40% red soil, 20% clay and 40% sand thoroughly mixed with organic matter and below with a 10 cm layer of stones for quick water drainage.

 

Propagation: The seeds have a cylindrical shape, and after removing the pulp and drying, they can be stored in a dark place and keep their germination up to a year. If they are picked fresh, they will germinate in 40 to 70 days. Plant per pot 2 seed in well-mixed substrate of 30% red soil, red sandy 30% and 40% organic matter from rotting leaves well mixed. The seedlings reach 20 cm with 10 to 12 months, appreciate a shady environment for their development. The fruit starts with 3 to 5 years, depending on soil and cultural conditions.

 

Planting: They can be planted both in full sun and in the shade, but with shading to the 2nd year. A culture in the shadow can be more successful. In the orchard, the distances should be 5 x 5 m, the holes should be 40 cm wide and 50 cm deep should be filled with 20% sand and about 8 kg of compost and manure. If the soil is very acidic, should be added 500 g of lime . The whole mixed thoroughly soak for 3 months before planting. Pour 10 liters of water every 15 days during the first year after planting, and then only after a long drought.

 

Culture: Only forming cut of the crown, remove the shoots that grow from the base or the crossing shoots in the crown. Fertilize with organic compost, can be 3 kg of poultry manure mixed with 30 g of NPK 10-10-10 . Double the amount until the second year and then every spring. Remember to spread in the width of the crown as distance from the trunk.

 

Use: Fruiting from December to March. The fruits are small, but very sweet and tasty. In larger quantities harvested they can be used for juice, jelly and ice cream. The fruits are best to attract different bird species. The tree is evergreen and ideal for tree planting under power lines.

 

Back to the seedlist (English) or back to Annonaceae (Portuguese)