Marketplace Genus

Malpighia (Barbados Cherry / Acerola)

Malpighia

1 cultivar

Malpighia is a genus of tropical and subtropical evergreen shrubs and small trees best known for producing vibrant, cherry-like fruits commonly called acerola or Barbados cherries. The plants naturally develop a dense, bushy growth habit with small, glossy, deep green leaves that provide an attractive year-round canopy. During the growing season, they produce delicate, fringed flowers in shades of pink, pale lavender, or white, which quickly transition into clusters of rounded fruit that ripen from green to orange-red and finally to a deep, glossy crimson. Highly valued for their exceptionally high vitamin C content, these tart, juicy fruits are a staple in warm-climate home orchards and edible landscapes. Malpighia works beautifully as a productive privacy hedge, a standalone patio container plant, or an integrated layer in tropical food forests, seamlessly blending polished ornamental structure with abundant food production.