Gardening with Tropical Fruit

The Phalsa (Grewia asiatica)

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

If you want to grow something a little bit different you might wish to grow the phalsa (Grewia asiatica) which is native to India and forms a large shrub usually multi-trunked or occasionally a small tree. Mature height is 12 to 15 feet and it generally has long unbranched shoots with large 5 inch long by 4 inch wide toothed margin leaves. The leaves on both surfaces are covered with star shaped hairs.

The phalsa grows rapidly and during the late spring and early summer produces clusters of yellow-orange flowers in the axils of the leaves. These quickly form berry like fruits which ripen during the late summer and are about 4/10 to a half inch in diameter with one or two seeds.

Fruits are dark purplish-red at maturity and you may have fruits on the tree at different stages of maturity at the same time. The slightly acid sweet fruits are a favorite for making drinks or the pulp may be used in sherbets or jams.

Phalsa benefits from regular annual heavy pruning since fruiting is on new growth. Propagation can be accomplished by layering or by planting seeds which come into bearing generally the second year.

Trees seem well adapted for a wide variety of soil conditions and can be grown even as container plants. Widely planted in the tropics the phalsa is not easily found in nurseries in Florida, but should be attempted since it would grow well here and the fruits are quite appreciated.