Flacourtia jangomas ( Indian Coffee Plum ) is a small, deciduous tree native to India and south east Asia. The tree produces a sweet tasting berry which is popular in India, northern Africa and the Caribbean. Indian Coffee Plums are eaten raw or made into jams, drinks and added to fruit salads. The plant itself is widely used in folklore medicines.
Suitable for Sub-Tropical and Tropical climates.
Other common names include the Coffee Plum, Manila Cherry, Runeala Plum, Rukam and Indian Plum.
A combination of fruits and leaves are used to treat diarrhea while dried leaves can be used to relieve toothaches.
Growth
Flacourtia jangomas is a slow growing tree that reaches height of up to 10 metres (30 feet) in their native climates but rarely higher than 5 metres (15 feet) elsewhere. Younger plants branches often have blunt thorns which gradually disappear as the tree ages. The bark is light brown almost copper red with a flaky texture.
Flowering occurs at the beginning of the dry season in tropical climates and in spring in temperate regions. The flowers are fragrant and smell like honey. Not long after flowering round berries appear and reach a size of 25mm (1 inch) and change from green to brown to dark purple when ripe.
To achieve any fruit, a male and female tree needs to be grown in close proximity. It is impossible to identify which sex the plant will become from seed. The main difference between the male (30 mm) and female flowers (15 mm) are their size. Otherwise they almost look the same. For the gardener, it is important to keep the Indian Coffee Plum trees well watered when flowering to ensure that the sweet honey fragrance is enhanced for potential cross-pollinators.
FAMILY:
Salicaceae
CLIMATE:
Sub Tropical, Tropical.
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
10 to 40°C / 50 to 104°F
SOIL TYPE:
Moist, well draining soil.
LOCATION:
Full Sun – Part Shade
HEIGHT:
Up to 10 metres (30 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 3-4 metres (9-12 feet)
pH:
6.5-7.5
GROWTH TYPE:
Deciduous, Slow Growing
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Light – Medium
POLLINATION:
Requires a male and female flower to cross and they grow on separate trees.
MATURITY:
3-4 years
GERMINATION RATES:
65-75%
GERMINATION TIME:
3-4 weeks, dependent on conditions
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 10
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
FACTS ABOUT FLACOURTIA JANGOMAS (Indian Coffee Plum)
Indian Coffee Plums are blended into juices which are popular in Southern India.
Seeds are ground into powder with turmeric and rubbed all over the body to ease pains for pregnant women. Leaf decoction is useful for treating diarrhea.
Leaves and young shoots taste similar to rhubarb.
