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🍇 Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ (Plinia phitrantha) — 1-Gallon Tropical Fruit Tree 🌿
Compact, red-fruited, velvet-pulp favorite for containers, patios & steady harvests
The Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ is one of the most ornamental, compact, and productive jaboticabas we grow at GreenDreams. With glossy evergreen foliage, smooth sculptural bark, and clouds of white flowers that emerge directly from the trunk, this cultivar delivers beauty first — then follows with deep red fruit filled with velvety, candy-sweet pulp.
Unlike many jaboticabas that fruit only once or twice per year, ‘Costada’ is semi-everbearing in Florida’s climate, often flowering and fruiting multiple times per year — sometimes even producing light winter crops when conditions are mild and moisture is consistent.
Our 1-gallon plants are approximately 4–5 years old, making this one of the most mature jaboticabas available at this size — ideal for growers who want a compact tree with a shorter path to regular harvests.
🌿 Quick Facts (At-a-Glance)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Plinia phitrantha (syn. Myrciaria phitrantha) |
| Common Name | Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ |
| Plant Type | Subtropical evergreen fruit tree |
| Sale Size | 1-gallon container |
| Approximate Age | ~4–5 years old |
| Mature Size (Unpruned) | 6–15 ft tall × 6–12 ft wide |
| Managed Size (Containers) | 6–10 ft with minimal pruning |
| USDA Zones | 9B–11 (container culture recommended north of 10A) |
| Light Preference | Filtered or dappled light preferred up to 30-gallon size |
| Cold Hardiness | Light frost tolerant; protect below ~27–29°F |
| Soil / pH | Moist, rich, slightly acidic (pH 5.5–6.5) |
| Wind / Salt | Moderate wind tolerance • not salt tolerant |
| Growth Habit | Compact, multi-trunked, cauliflorous |
| Foliage Type | Evergreen; brief stress-related leaf drop possible |
| Spacing (In-Ground) | 8–12 ft (closer when container-grown) |
| Fruiting Habit | Multiple crops per year, often nearly year-round in FL |
🍇 Fruit & Flower Details
- Fruit color: Deep red to maroon clusters borne directly on trunk and older wood
- Flavor: Exceptionally sweet and aromatic — often described as “grape meets tropical candy”
- Texture: Velvety-smooth, low-acid pulp with excellent mouthfeel
- Fruit size: ~½–1″ diameter depending on culture and moisture
- Bloom-to-harvest: ~30–40 days under warm, humid conditions
- Pollination: Self-fertile (single plant fruits reliably)
Fruiting Expectations
From this 1-gallon, 4–5-year-old plant, expect:
- ~2+ years to consistent fruiting under excellent care
In Florida and similar climates, Costada commonly produces 3–5 fruiting cycles per year, including occasional winter crops when protected and well-watered.
🌱 Why Grow Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’?
- 🍇 One of the sweetest jaboticabas available
- 🌸 Frequent flowering and fruiting compared to many cultivars
- 🌳 Compact, manageable size ideal for patios and small gardens
- 🪴 Outstanding container performance
- 🌿 High ornamental value even when not in fruit
This is one of the best jaboticabas for growers who want steady harvests without a massive tree.
🪴 Why GreenDreams Recommends Container Culture
At our Spring Hill nursery, nearly all of our jaboticabas — including Costada — are grown in containers, and they consistently outperform in-ground plantings.
Container culture allows:
- Precise control of acidic pH (5.5–6.5)
- Excellent root aeration
- Heavy, frequent watering without waterlogging
- Easy protection from cold, wind, and weather extremes
- Faster maturity and more frequent fruiting in alkaline regions
🌱 Our Proven 50/50 Growing Medium
Jaboticabas require soil that stays moist and oxygenated.
Recommended mix:
- 50% peat moss or coco coir (acidity + moisture retention)
- 50% perlite, vermiculite, or fine pine bark (drainage + airflow)
Optional additions (small amounts):
- Compost
- Worm castings
- Biochar
🚫 Avoid sand or dense garden soils — compaction leads to root stress and decline.
💧 Watering Requirements (Critical)
Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ is a heavy water user.
- Containers: Daily watering is ideal during warm months
- In-ground: Use drip irrigation only (never overhead sprinklers)
- Soil must remain evenly moist at all times
- Never allow the root zone to dry completely
With consistent moisture, Costada often flowers again within weeks of a harvest, sometimes even through winter.
☀️ Light & Placement (Standardized)
🌤 Plants Up to 30-Gallon Size
- Filtered or dappled light is strongly preferred
- Avoid direct afternoon sun
- Ideal locations:
- Shaded patios or lanais
- Screened enclosures
- Under high, open canopy trees
- Greenhouses
🌳 Very Large, Fully Established Trees (30G+)
- Can tolerate more sun with constant moisture
- Even then, filtered light often produces healthier foliage and steadier fruiting
- Any increase in sun exposure should be gradual over months
Pruning
Although we heavily prune many fruit trees, jaboticabas are an exception.
Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ does not respond well to hard pruning.
Why:
- Jaboticabas prefer to refill on existing branches
- Hard pruning triggers stress flushes of tender new growth
- New growth is extremely sun-sensitive
- Leads to leaf burn, yellowing, and growth stalls
Recommended approach:
- Remove only dead, damaged, or crossing branches
- Avoid cutting back healthy wood
- Allow time, moisture, and filtered light to naturally densify the canopy
🪴 Transplanting & Container Step-Up
Step-Up Plan
1G → 3G → 7G → 15–30G (larger sizes available for local pickup)
When to Transplant
Most 1-gallon Costada plants:
- Can remain 6–12 months in their pot
- Prefer staying slightly snug
Transplant only when:
- Roots circle the bottom
- Water runs straight through
- Soil dries unusually fast
How to Transplant
- Do not disturb the root ball
- Plant at the same depth (root flare just above soil line)
- Pack soil firmly
- Return to filtered light during recovery
🌾 Seasonal Care (Florida & Similar Climates)
| Season | What to Expect | Recommended Care |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Heavy bloom & fruit flush | Feed organically; maintain humidity |
| Summer | Rapid growth, repeat fruiting | Daily watering; partial shade in heat |
| Fall | Continued fruiting in warm regions | Light shaping; refresh mulch |
| Winter | Slower growth, often light crops | Protect from frost; maintain moisture |
Costada never enters full dormancy in mild winters — it simply slows, then flushes again with warmth.
Troubleshooting Guide — Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’
Yellowing leaves → Alkaline soil or nutrient lockout → Acidic mix + chelated iron
Leaf burn / curl → Excess sun or drought → Increase shade + moisture
Slow growth → Normal jaboticaba behavior → Patience + consistency
Root rot → Poor drainage → Repot into airy 50/50 mix
Sparse flowering → Low light or cold stress → Increase filtered light + nutrition
Culinary Uses
- Eat fresh off the tree
- Blend into smoothies or juices
- Make jams, jellies, syrups, or desserts
- Ferment into jaboticaba wine or fruit vinegar
- Use skins (high in anthocyanins) for color and antioxidants
🌳 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal for:
- Container gardeners & patio growers
- Florida & Gulf Coast climates
- Collectors seeking frequent fruiting
- Growers wanting compact, ornamental trees
❌ Not ideal for:
- Coastal or salt-exposed locations
- Arid climates without irrigation
- Growers expecting instant yields
🚚 Shipping & Handling
- Ships Mondays via UPS Ground from Florida
- Best regions: Florida, Southeast & Texas
- Nationwide shipping with buyer discretion during heat/cold extremes
- Allow 1–2 weeks for acclimation before transplanting
📍 Local Pickup
🚜 GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
🌾 18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
🕘 Tue–Fri 9AM–5PM | 🌞 Sat 8AM–3PM
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
At GreenDreams, we don’t just grow plants — we design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 Edible landscape design & onsite consultations
- 🌾 Installation & project management
- 🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, mulch, biochar & soil
- 🌱 Wholesale & regenerative growing solutions
Let our team help you build your thriving edible paradise — starting with Dwarf Jaboticaba ‘Costada’ 🌿
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
