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🍇 San Jose Jaboticaba Tree (Plinia cauliflora ‘San Jose’) — 3-Gallon Tropical Fruit Tree 🌿
Dark fruit • smooth sweetness • reliable, long-term producer
The San Jose Jaboticaba is a respected and productive selection within the Plinia cauliflora group, valued for its dark, glossy fruit, smooth, sweet flavor, and consistent performance in subtropical climates. It’s a cultivar that balances classic jaboticaba character with steady, dependable fruiting once mature.
With lush evergreen foliage and the iconic cauliflorous habit—fruit forming directly on the trunk and older branches—San Jose becomes both an ornamental focal point and a culinary asset in the garden.
This 3-gallon San Jose Jaboticaba is a well-established juvenile (approximately 4–5 years old) with a stronger root system and developing structural wood, offering improved resilience compared to smaller sizes while still requiring patience before fruiting begins.
🌿 Quick Facts (At-a-Glance)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Plinia cauliflora ‘San Jose’ |
| Common Name | San Jose Jaboticaba |
| Plant Type | Evergreen subtropical fruit tree |
| Sale Size | 3-gallon container |
| Estimated Age | ~4–5 years old |
| Mature Height (Unpruned) | ~20–25+ ft in ground |
| Managed Height (Containers) | 6–12 ft with minimal pruning |
| USDA Zones | 9–11 outdoors • container culture elsewhere |
| Light Preference | Filtered or dappled light preferred up to ~30-gallon size |
| Cold Tolerance | Brief dips to ~27–29°F once established |
| Soil / pH | Moist, well-drained, acidic (pH 5.5–6.5) |
| Wind / Salt | Fair wind tolerance • not salt tolerant |
| Growth Rate | Slow to moderate |
| Fruiting Habit | Cauliflorous (fruit on trunk & older wood) |
| Spacing (In-Ground) | 15–20 ft (containers strongly recommended) |
🍇 Fruit, Flavor & Fruiting Habits
Fruit appearance
- Dark purple to nearly black skin
- Medium-sized fruit borne directly on trunk and mature branches
Pulp & flavor
- Juicy, gelatinous white pulp
- Smooth, sweet flavor with mild acidity
- Clean eating profile that appeals to fresh eaters and processors
Culinary performance
- Excellent fresh (best eaten soon after harvest)
- Well-suited for jams, jellies, tarts, wine, and liqueurs
- Fruits ferment quickly, making them ideal for preserves and beverages
Fruiting rhythm (Florida & similar climates)
- Multiple crops per year once fully mature
- Spring and summer peaks
- Occasional off-season fruiting during mild winters with steady moisture
⏳ Time to Fruit — 3-Gallon (Honest Expectations)
From a 3-gallon San Jose Jaboticaba, plan approximately:
- ~2–4 additional years before consistent fruiting under excellent care
Some growers may see flowers earlier, but we intentionally overestimate timelines to ensure expectations remain realistic and trust stays intact.
🌱 Why Grow San Jose Jaboticaba?
- 🍇 Reliable producer once mature
- 🍬 Smooth, sweet fruit with broad culinary use
- 🌸 Trunk-fruiting display with strong ornamental appeal
- 🌳 Evergreen structure for year-round presence
- 🪴 Excellent container candidate for patios and courtyards
San Jose is a great choice for growers who want a dependable jaboticaba rather than the most experimental or extreme cultivar.
🪴 Why GreenDreams Recommends Container Culture
At GreenDreams, we grow nearly all jaboticabas—including San Jose—in containers because container culture consistently outperforms in-ground planting, especially in Florida.
Container culture allows
- Precise control of acidic pH (5.5–6.5)
- Superior root oxygenation
- Support for heavy, frequent watering
- Easier cold and weather protection
- Reduced micronutrient lockout in alkaline soils
Container-grown jaboticabas often show better vigor and more reliable fruiting than in-ground trees.
🌱 Our Proven 50/50 Growing Medium
San Jose Jaboticaba roots require moisture and oxygen.
Recommended mix
- 50% peat moss or coconut coir
- 50% perlite or fine pine bark
Optional (small amounts):
- Compost
- Worm castings
- Biochar
🚫 Avoid sand or dense garden soil—compaction leads to root stress and decline.
💧 Watering Requirements (Non-Negotiable)
San Jose Jaboticaba is a heavy water user.
- Containers: Daily watering during warm months is common
- In-ground: Use drip irrigation only, never overhead sprays
- Soil must remain evenly moist at all times
- Never allow the root zone to dry completely
Consistent moisture is the single biggest driver of healthy growth and fruiting.
☀️ Light & Placement (Standardized Across Jaboticabas)
🌤 Plants Up to ~30-Gallon Size
- Filtered or dappled light strongly preferred
- Avoid direct afternoon sun
- Ideal locations:
- Shaded patios or lanais
- Screened enclosures
- Under high, open canopy trees
- Greenhouses or sunrooms
🌳 Very Large, Fully Established Trees (30G+)
- Can tolerate more sun only with constant moisture
- Even then, filtered light often produces healthier foliage and steadier fruiting
Pruning (Minimal Only)
San Jose Jaboticaba does not respond well to hard pruning.
Why
- Jaboticabas refill best on existing branches
- Hard pruning triggers stress flushes
- New growth is extremely sun-sensitive
Recommended approach
- Remove only dead, damaged, or crossing branches
- Avoid cutting back healthy wood
- Allow natural canopy development under filtered light
🪴 Transplanting & Container Step-Up (Critical)
🚫 Do NOT transplant immediately after arrival
For all jaboticabas from GreenDreams:
➡️ Wait at least 30 days OR until new growth appears (whichever comes later) before transplanting.
Step-Up Plan
3G → 7G → 15–30G (larger sizes typically for local pickup)
How to Transplant
- Keep root ball intact
- Plant at the same depth (root flare just above soil line)
- Pack soil firmly
- Return to filtered light during recovery
🌾 Seasonal Habits (Florida & Similar Climates)
- Evergreen year-round
- Growth flushes during warm, humid periods
- Brief leaf drop may follow cold or drought stress
- Once mature, fruiting may occur multiple times per year
San Jose does not go dormant in mild winters—it simply slows, then resumes growth.
🔍 Troubleshooting Guide — San Jose Jaboticaba
Yellow leaves → High pH or drought → Acidic mix + consistent moisture
Leaf scorch → Excess sun → Increase filtered light
No flowering → Tree still juvenile → Patience + stable care
Leaf drop → Cold or drought → Protect + maintain moisture
Root rot → Dense soil → Repot into airy 50/50 mix
🌳 Is This Plant Right for You?
✅ Ideal for
- Patient growers
- Container gardeners
- Florida & subtropical climates
- Growers wanting a dependable jaboticaba cultivar
❌ Not ideal for
- Coastal salt exposure
- Full-sun, low-water landscapes
- Growers seeking instant harvests
🚚 Shipping Details (3-Gallon)
- Best shipping: Florida, Southeast & Texas
- Nationwide shipping with buyer discretion
- Ships UPS Ground every Monday from Florida
- Extreme temperature damage not guaranteed
📍 Local Pickup
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
🌾 18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
🕘 Tues–Fri 9AM–5PM | 🌞 Sat 8AM–3PM
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
At GreenDreams, we do more than grow plants — we design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 Onsite consultations & edible landscape design
- 🌾 Installation & project management
- 🚚 Bulk compost, mulch, biochar & soil
- 🌱 Wholesale & regenerative solutions
Let us help you build your edible paradise — starting with San Jose Jaboticaba 🌿
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.
