History & Interesting Facts:

The capulin cherry is native and common throughout the Valley of Mexico from Sonora to Chiapas and Veracruz and western Guatemala. This ancient fruit is deeply intertwined within the cultural, medicinal, and culinary traditions of native populations throughout Mexico.  It has been extensively naturalized in Central America and over much of western South America, and today it is cultivated even more extensively in the Andes than in its northern homeland, and at harvest time the fruits are abundantly available in Andean markets.

Until fairly recently Capulin cherries were quite rare outside of Central and South America. They were introduced into California sometime in the mid 1920’s and are still grown there on a small scale, later they were introduced to the Philippines. Today trials are being done in Sicily, and they have been introduced to New Zealand and Australia. Capulin cherries are now also available in South Africa, enabling gardeners in warmer regions to grow cherries.

Uses:

In the Mexican state of Hidalgo, Capulin cherries are sometimes used in amulets and worn as protection from evil forces. Parts of the tree are also often interwoven into floral arrangements.

Seeds from the fruits are pressed and processed for their oils to use in the making of various soaps and paints.

The wood sells at high prices, and is hard and resistant to insect and fungus damage. The sapwood is yellow with touches of red, and the fine-grained heartwood is reddish-brown.

After 6 to 8 years it yields reddish lumber which is excellent for making guitars, furniture, coffins and other premium products.
Even the old roots are valued for carving tobacco pipes, figurines, etc.

Capulin Cherry Blossoms Image by 阿橋花譜 HQ Flower from FlickrDescription:

Capulin trees are fast-growing, generally reaching a height of about 10m, but in ideal climates they can grow to up to 15m tall with a spread of about 4.5m.

The trees are especially pretty when in full bloom in early spring when their slender stems produce drooping shoots covered with masses of white flowers with distinct tufts of yellow stamens.

The small fruits are about half the size of the sweet cherry, developing in loose clusters of 15 to 20 cherries with a round to ovate shape, and averaging 1 to 2cm in diameter. The fruit takes 3 to 5 months to ripen, and the delicate skin is thin, smooth and glossy, changing to yellow-orange and red before maturing to maroon and almost black hues. The flesh is found in shades of pale green and has a firm, succulent and crisp consistency. It encases a sizeable central pit that holds a bitter kernel.

What do Capulin Cherries taste like?

Fully mature fruits have a strong cherry flavour that is both sweet and tart.

How long does it take before you can harvest Capulin Cherries?

The trees are not grafted and are favoured for their prolific nature and ability to produce fruits when the trees are only 2 to 3 years of age.

When are Capulin Cherries harvested?

The fruit takes 3 to 5 months to ripen, and because the trees can bear more than one crop per season, Capulin cherries are available from late spring through summer.

The fruits are ready to pick when they have developed full colour and yield to gentle pressure. The skin is thin and tender but sufficiently firm for the fruit to resist bruising. After harvesting it will keep in the fridge for 4 to 6 weeks in an uncovered container.

Birds are attracted to the fruit but are less of a problem than they are with regular cherries.

Health benefits of Capulin Cherries

Capulin cherries are a source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, boost collagen production, and reduce inflammation. The fruits also provide fibre to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and calcium to build strong bones and teeth. Other nutrients include: phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E, iron, niacin, and riboflavin.

The fruit is infused into syrups to help soothe coughs and other respiratory issues. The leaves are also applied topically as a poultice for skin irritations and inflammation.

Using Capulin Cherries in the kitchen:

The sweet-tart, sometimes astringent flavour of Capulin cherries lends itself to both fresh and cooked preparations, and they pair well with both sweet and savoury dishes and can complement appetizers, main dishes, or desserts.

They are delicious halved, pitted, and blended into smoothies or milkshakes, or simply tossed into salads, yogurt, and fruit salads.

They can also be stewed and simmered into sauces, and in Mexico, the cherries are used as a filling for tamales, or cooked with heavy cream, cinnamon, and vanilla to create a sweet-tart dessert.

Capulin cherries can generally be used in recipes calling for sour cherries. The fruits are baked into pies, cakes, and other desserts or infused into chocolate for depth of flavour. They are most popular for creating jams, jellies, and syrups, and can also be preserved whole for extended use, or fermented into alcoholic beverages.

Cultivation:

Do Capulin Cherries need pollinator trees?

Capulin cherries are self-pollinating, so they can be planted in isolation.

Where do Capulin Cherry trees grow best?

Although the capulin cherry grows at tropical latitudes, in its native habitat it thrives only in cool upland areas, and is common at elevations between 1 200 and 2 700m. Fruit set occurs between 10 and 22°C.

It is therefore a great plant for subtropical or warm temperate regions.

What is the chill-factor for Capulin Cherry trees?

Capulin cherry trees have a dormancy period that is triggered by day length rather than by cold temperatures and therefore does not need cold winter weather to regulate its yearly flowering and fruiting cycle.

Are Capulin Cherry trees cold hardy?

The trees are remarkably cold and frost tolerant, and once established will withstand temperatures as low as -7°C with some damage to the smaller branches. Young trees should be protected until they are reasonably established. During cold winter weather the trees will usually drop all their leaves.

Do Capulin Cherry trees need full sun?

Plant your Capulin cherry tree in full sun in a spot that is protected from strong wind.

What soil type do Capulin Cherry trees require?

The tree is not very fussy about its soil requirements and grows well in any reasonably fertile ground. It can thrive in poor ground, even clay soils, but seems to prefer dry sandy soils with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Because it prefers a slightly acid soil, for the best results incorporate a bag of acid compost or berry mix into the planting holes.

Young trees need to be carefully staked to protect them from toppling in strong winds.

How much water do Capulin Cherry trees require?

Although these cherries are quite drought-tolerant, they grow and produce better fruit with regular watering.

To prevent the fruit from splitting, stop watering the tree completely when the cherries change from green to pink

How to fertilise Capulin Cherry trees

If the soil is fertile capulin cherry trees do not require much fertiliser. They respond well to light applications of nitrogen fertiliser when the blossoms first appear in spring, and if you also mulch the trees annually in spring with acid compost, you will not need to fertilise further, making capulin cherry trees great for busy gardeners.

How to prune Capulin Cherry trees

If anything, the only downside is that they grow too fast, especially in warm regions. To facilitate easier harvesting of the fruit they need close supervision and a brutal prune every other year to keep them at a desired height.

They will even take radical pruning and can be grown as a fruiting hedge.

Propagation

Capulin cherries are easily propagated by seed but the fruit quality of seedling trees is quite variable. Seedling plants are typically used as rootstock for desired cultivars, using tip, wedge or cleft grafts.

The plants can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings.

Pests & Diseases

Another plus for gardeners is that capulin cherries are relatively free of many pests and diseases afflicting regular cherries and other stone fruit trees, reducing the need to spray in the garden.

Bacterial gummosis is an occasional problem and some varieties are prone to die-back for unknown reasons.

Pests include mites, pear slugs and scale.