Ligustrina Cherry

Botanical Name: Eugenia ligustrina

Common Names: Privet Stopper, Birch Berry, Ligustrina Cherry

This hardy shrub from the Caribbean is a great pick for Perth. It has shiny green leaves and white flowers. The berries start green, turn bright red, and then go almost black when they are ready to eat. They taste like a sweet cherry with no nasty aftertaste. It makes a perfect edible hedge. The type of plant you get when there's no more space.

Features:

Ideal prune height range: 1-3m

pH growing conditions: 5.5 to 6.5

Shade or full sun: part shade

Minimum pot year 5: 30L pot

Time to fruit age: 3-4 years

These baby plants are tough and grow well in our climate. They do not mind a bit of salt if you live near the coast. You can keep them in a pot or plant them in a row to make a screen. They stay green all year and handle a good trim to keep them looking neat.

Interesting Notes:

The fruit is small but very sweet once it turns that deep, dark colour. If you pick them while they are still bright red, they might be a bit tart. The name Stopper comes from an old use for the bark and leaves, but today we just love them for the tasty berries. Birds will try to get them first, so keep an eye on your harvest.

This is a top plant for a food forest or a small backyard.

Limited stock. Pickup from Parkwood, WA. Delivery to Perth Metro only.

Keywords: Eugenia ligustrina, Privet Stopper, edible hedge, Perth rare fruit, black cherry berry