Tropical Cherries

​Tropical cherries are not part of the same family of plants as their more temperate, northern namesakes, the "Bing-like" cherries, but they can be just as tasty.

Temperate cherries are part of the Prunus family of fruits that also includes peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and almonds. However, tropical cherries are usually members of the myrtle family, and many if not most are classified in the genus "Eugenia".

They have names like Surinam Cherry, Barbados Cherry, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Star Cherry,  or even Jaboticaba (sometimes referred to as Brazilian Grape)!  And sometimes they're known at Pitomba, Acerola or Pitangatuba --- depends on where you live.