Miguel Axcar · CC BY-SA 4.0Surinam cherry (pitanga)
Eugenia uniflora · ñangapiry
A small ribbed red fruit, sweet and tart: the taste of childhood in backyards and woods.
What it is
A shrub or small tree with aromatic leaves, very common in woodland and in backyards. It bears ribbed, cherry-sized fruits that turn from green to orange to deep red or almost black. They have a sweet-sour, resinous flavor. People eat them straight off the tree and use them in juices, preserves and liqueurs. Its leaves are also part of folk medicine.
Did you know…?
It is one of the best-loved native fruits, with the bonus of fruiting very quickly, just a few weeks after flowering.
Season
Blooms in late winter and spring. The fruit ripens from October to December.
Where
Backyards, squares and woods across most of the Eastern Region. Very common in Central, Cordillera and Paraguarí.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.