in the northern hemisphere is more restricted by slow growth and the short shelf-life of fruit than by temperature requirements. Grafted plants may bear fruit in five years, while seed-grown trees may take 10 to 20 years to bear fruit. Jabuticabeiras are fairly adaptable to various kinds of growing conditions, tolerating sand or rich topsoil. They are intolerant of salty soils or salt spray. They are tolerant of mild drought, though fruit production may be reduced, and irrigation will be required in extended or severe droughts. Jabuticabeiras are vulnerable to the rust, Austropuccinia psidii. particularly when the tree flowers during heavy rain. Other important diseases that affect jabuticabeiras are canker (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), dieback (Rosellinia), and fruit rot (Botrytis cinerea). Uses Culinary Common in Brazilian markets, jabuticabas are largely eaten fresh. Fruit may begin to ferment 3 to 4 days after harvest, so it is often used to make jams, tarts, strong wines, and liqueurs. Due to the short shelf-life, fresh jabuticaba is rare in markets outside areas of cultivation. The fruit has been compared to Muscadine grapes, and in Japan the flavor of jabuticaba has been described as similar to that of Kyoho grapes. Bonsai Their slow growth and small size when immature make jabuticabeiras popular as bonsai or container ornamental plants in temperate regions. It is a widely used bonsai species in Taiwan and parts of the Caribbean. Cultural significance The jabuticabeira appears as a charge on the coat of arms of Contagem, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In Brazilian politics, and less commonly in everyday speech, "jabuticaba" is a slang that describes a political or legal setting that is considered absurd, unusual, or needlessly complex, among others, that could only exist in a country like Brazil. It is a reference to the popular wisdom that jabuticaba trees can only grow in Brazil. Related species There are a number of similar species of plant in the family Myrtaceae that produce fruit that is known by the common name Jabuticaba. Myrciaria glazioviana ( or yellow jabuticaba) Myrciaria tenella ( or soft jabuticaba) Plinia coronata ( or king jabuticaba) Plinia grandifolia ( or large jabuticaba) Plinia martinellii ( or little forest jabuticaba) Plinia oblongata ( or sour jabuticaba) Plinia peruviana ( or small stemmed jabuticaba) Plinia phitrantha ( or white jabuticaba) Plinia rivularis ( or bunched jabuticaba) Plinia spirito-santensis (, hairy cross jaboticaba, or grimal in the United states). References External links Jaboticaba