Barbados Cherry Tree

Malpighia emarginata

$139⁹⁹

Out of stock
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Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Barbados Cherry Tree highlights at a glance!

Specifications

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Malpighia emarginata
Growing Zones

9-12
Mature Height

12 - 18 feet
Mature Spread

10 - 15 feet
Sun Exposure

Full Sun
Moisture

Moderate
Soil

Well Drained Soil
Growth Rate

Medium
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pollinator Required

No
Fragrant

Yes
Pruning Time

After Fruiting
Bloom Period

Early Spring, Late Spring
Harvest Time

Early Season

Growing Zones 9-12

Find Your Growing Zone!

Barbados Cherry Tree (Malpighia emarginata), also known as Spanish Cherry or Acerola Trees, can be found throughout the Indies and even growing in southern Texas where it thrives in growing zones 9 and up as a great fruiting tropical tree or large shrub!

Blooming in spring with a flush of pinkish lavender blossoms, your tree will be abuzz with pollinators and bees! The fragrant blooms sometimes appear year-round in warmer climates. Soon giving way to the glossy red fruit that shines among the bright green glossy foliage!

Modestly sized, reaching an easy-to-reach 12-18 feet tall, you can keep these pruned smaller yet to make harvest easier, or to tuck into an existing orchard or smaller property. An interesting Cherry tree, known to possess strong medicinal properties, rich nutritional content, mainly Vitamin C content. It is rich in vitamin A and vitamins B1, B2, and B3, as well as a rich source of bioflavonoids and carotenoids, which provide a high nutritive value and antioxidants!

Planting and Application:

Barbados Cherry are fantastic screening plants for privacy and creating ornamental small informal groups. Perfect edible landscaping plants, the fruit is commonly used to make pulps, juices, and vitamin C concentrates. It is also a common ingredient in baby foods. Acerola is also grown as an ornamental for your edible gardening needs.

Late-summer ripening fruit, a single medium-sized tree produces loads of deliciously exceptional fruit - season in and season out! Plant it as a specimen tree in your yard, or start a small orchard for a more bountiful harvest!

Pinkish-Lavender Fragrant Blossoms
Glossy Green Foliage & Glossy Red Fruit
Great Small Tree or Large Shrub
Privacy Hedgerows & Specimen Groupings
Tart Juicy High in Vitamin C & Nutrition

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Barbados Cherry Trees do best in sunny and well-drained soils. The fruit develops on old wood so don't prune until after the fruit is harvested. Requiring regular watering and moderate fertility, these can be drought tolerant once established. But for best flowering and fruit, maintain consistent moisture levels all growing season.

Partial Shade/Partial Sun Locations
Moderate Moisture & Consistent Fertilizer
Prune After Fruiting
See our Garden Blog for more Fruit Tree Care
Less Than 100 Chill Hours

The Barbados Cherry tree fruit is tart and Vitamin C-packed and features lovely fragrant flowerings! Perfect for small-space edible gardening! Order your unique plants and trees at NatureHills.com before these curious specimens sell out!