Miracle fruit?s
 

i just received a 12" plant from a friend, i have looked it up on the web and have all info i could find, i was just wondering if any one has one here and what is there experance with the tree....thanks and everyone have a great THANKSGIVING......

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

I have one that's been in the ground for about 5 years here in south florida. It's a scrubby looking plant maybe 3.5/4 ft tall. It seems to fruit sporadically and the fruits are mostly tasteless. IMHO, I don't think the plant is much to look at, not attractive at all. If you eat the fruit do so at least 2 hrs before you eat a meal. It blocks the taste receptors for sour so anything that is balanced in flavor (beer, marinades, etc) will taste overpoweringly sweet. Beer is disgustingly sweet if you have had a miracle fruit. On the other hand, grapefruits, oranges, chocolate, lemons are all fun to eat after having some miracle fruit.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

thanks for the reply Jeffrey, do you have it in shade like i have read or full sun, i will leave mine in the pot because we get cold, thanks again for the info....

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

It's in full sun, I fertilize it 3 x per year.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

I'm growing it as well, I think the fruits taste good just by itself.

And its amazing what they do to your taste receptors. For me, it works instantly.

You are in for a treat! Try it with some pineapple juice!

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

These are growing at the fruit and spice park in Miami in 100% full sun for just about the entire day. Mine is in partial shade for no particular reason other than that was a good place for it.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

I have two Miracle fruit shrubs, they are great as a novelty. Suck on the berry for 20 seconds and every thing taste sweet, even straight lemons. I have heard that people under going Chemo-therapy use it to get the metallic taste out of their mouth. Hope I never have to do that.
One of my plants is starting to bud so we'll sea what happens. LOL

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

thanks for the replys guys

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

The miracle fruit(Synsepalum dulcificum) was brought to south Florida in the 30s and it was a failure until about the 60s when a physician from Jackson Hospital was successful. The problem was people were using soil that was alkaline. The doctor grew them in pots using acid media. I grew some plants from seed that he gave me. When we moved to our house 40 years ago, I put two mature plants in the ground under a large live oak. The ground must be acid enough because it thrives and fruits very well. I have kept it trimmed to about 5 feet tall. Mine is in the shade only because of the oak and if it was in full sun it would give better crops.
The ripe fruit show be just eaten all except the seed, nothing special. Then in a minute your tongue will not taste sower acid tastes and the true sweet taste will come forth. It will not sweeten coffee and a do not think it will sweeten bitter chocolate. It makes a perfect limeade but don't take a beer or any wine for at least two hours.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

I've read just about every possible source of information out there and there are many opinions on some requirements, but high humidity seems to be one thing it needs so mine is in the greenhouse. I gave it too much direct sun in the greenhouse during a hot spell this summer and it got fried. Now it is getting new leaves and has maybe a hundred buds on it. I'm watching carefully to avoid killing it! Many sources claim that it requires excellent drainage but I know someone with a nursery in Hawaii who accidentally (defective pot had no drain hole) saturated his plant for quite a while. The plant was literally standing in water and still did fine. He experimented some and intentionally grew several plants in standing water and reported they did fine. Not that this is ideal, but it doesn't seem that excellent drainage is a requirement. I've heard some very low pH numbers like 5.5 down to 4.5. Reminds me, I need to re-check mine.

One thing that blew my mind was trying pomegranate juice after having a miracle fruit. Disgustingly sweet!!!

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

well thanks for the info guys you taught me a lot and hopefully mine will do well like your are.....

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Hey everyone,
am in the process of getting some seeds. It will be a potted plant, and I doubt that my plant(s) will be very fruitful at all. When do the berries ripen? How many will each shrub give you?

Whenever they ripen, I would like to share this "experience" with all of my family and a few friends.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Mine has not been doing very well at all. I think it is going to die. It has not grown any in 3 months, and I left it outside when it was cold and one of the two leafs fell off. I am about to give up on it

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Miracle Fruit are slow growers. My understanding is from seed it will take a long time to produce. My one bush only 18 inches produced less than a dozen berries last year.
I had one started from a seed and gave it away, I got tired of it just sitting there not growing. There are some new buds showing now we'll see what happens.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Hi,
I want to grow Miracle Fruit from seeds. Can you share experience with me, what soil, temp., etc, I need?
Egle

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

It's a pity that no-one answer my question :2141:
Well, I soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, then I sow it in wet soil (coco-peat, peat-moss and vermiculite) and I keep it in temp. 23C. I hope that everything will come right...

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Egle, very few people here have grown miracle fruit at all and fewer yet have grown miracle fruit from seed. I tied growing them from seed once but they did not grow and I was later told in another forum that they do not remain viable for very long.

Good luck!

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

There are a few that have come up from seed at my neighbors house.
Berries that have fallen off his bush and just rooted.
They are very slow growing.
The fruit is pretty much just a novelty item. :lurk:

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

My Mom is having Chemo and experiencing the metallic taste issue. If anyone knows where to buy the berries please let me know.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

PM sent, Mitchel.
Pill option: Miracle Fruit Berry Tablets Sour Food = Amazingly SWEET - eBay (item 270342134889 end time Feb-18-09 20:38:46 PST)

Fresh high-priced berries: MiracleFruitMan.com Store (note: they are highly perishable)

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Look up Miracle Fruit in Ft Lauderdale.
Miracle fruit makes sour taste sweet - Curtis Mozie of Fort Lauderdale has sweet succ...
I couls check with my neighbor and find out if any are ripe.

Scott

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

They do like a very acidic soil, 5 to 5.5 . Mine is in a protected spot and gives me about 18 to 24 fruits each year. The fruit comes in flushes. I put coffee grounds on the plant everyday to help lower the acidity. The plant loves it! My plant is a little over 2 feet in height (about 3 to 4 decimeters). Soil temperatures vary throughout the year between 72F and 84Fapproximately.

Best wishes,

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Thank you, guys :waving:
I hope that the both seeds of Miracle Fruit will sprout.

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

Where could I get some seeds/plants?

Re: Miracle fruit?s
 

You can find seeds and plants on eBay, though some of the seeds sold there are not fresh. You can buy plants at Montoso Gardens Botanical Garden and Online Nursery (the owner of this Puerto Rico nursery has become a good friend of mine and is very reputatble). You can also buy seeds from a nursery owned by a guy I know in Hawaii at TROPICAL FRUITS. You could also buy fresh berries from the site I linked above and plant those seeds after surprising some friends with the berries.

I paid about $200 for a large plant as small plants I had bought did nothing. However, I followed the advice of a friend who suggested I grow it in full sun in my greenhouse and I fried the leaves in just a few days and it's been struggling for six months to recover. I don't know if it will make it or not. This is the last shot I'm going to take growing this plant.

Good luck!!!