Gardening with Tropical Fruit

The Marmaladebox Genip

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

The Marmaladebox Genip (Genipa americana) is a popular fruit in Puerto Rico and parts of Brazil and is found throughout much of the West Indies and adjoining areas of north eastern South America, but not known much outside the area. This medium sized tree is rather coarse in appearance, but has dark green shiny leaves up to a foot in length clustered at the branch tips. Trees grow rapidly and produce clusters of medium sized tubular flowers which are cream and white the first day they open but become yellow the second day.

Large fruits measuring about 4 inches long and 3 inches in diameter form and at maturity are generally tan or russet brown in color. Beneath the thin skin there’s a layer of granular flesh surrounding the seed cavity which contains numerous small compressed seeds. Fruits are generally harvested at maturity and then allowed to soften before using. The common use of the fruit in Puerto Rico is for a refreshing drink. The fruit can be eaten out of hand, but it’s most often used for juice.

Trees can be propagated easily by seeds which germinate in about one week after planting. At present no superior selections of this fruit have been made, but where it is found many native peoples recognize differences among seedling trees. Trees do well in a wide variety of soils, but during periods of drought should be supplied with additional irrigation.

Insect and disease problems are few for this particular fruit and although not found easily in Florida it should be tried for collectors that are looking for something a little different.