Myrciaria vexator

Myrciaria vexator is a tree that stays green all year. It belongs to Myrtaceae, the myrtle family. People call it blue grape and false jaboticaba. Kew gives its native range as Costa Rica to Venezuela. This range includes northeastern Ecuador. It grows in the wet tropics. Other accounts list Panama, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. They also place it in pastures beside roads. People pick fruit from wild plants for local use.

This plant grows slowly. Sources describe it as both a shrub and a tree. PFAF describes a garden shrub about 6 feet [1.8 metres] tall. Its wider account gives a height of 33 feet [10 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants gives that larger tree size too. PFAF lists a spread of 26 feet [8 metres]. These accounts leave its usual size in gardens unclear. Its deep green leaves grow in layers. The bark flakes and adds interest beyond fruit and leaves. The plant keeps its leaves all year.

The flowers range from white to near-white. They can be hard to spot. PFAF says it blooms more than once, with no fixed season. The fruit turns dark purple with a blue cast. It grows to about the size of a plum. A thick skin covers a thin layer of sweet flesh. Each fruit has one or two large seeds. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants both praise its taste. Its edible fruit and year-round leaves give it garden value.

PFAF says to grow it in light, not shade. It prefers moist soil that drains well. The soil types listed are sand, loam, and clay. The stated pH range is mildly acid to mildly alkaline. PFAF lists USDA zones 10–12. It also says the plant is frost tender. These limits fit its home in the wet tropics. Sources list seeds, cuttings, and side-veneer grafting as ways to grow new plants. They give no further steps for these methods.

Garden uses include planting for looks and in food forests. The sources list no known uses as medicine. Neither PFAF nor Useful Tropical Plants reports any known hazards. This does not prove that all plant parts are safe. Nor does it prove safety for pets. The accounts name no specific pests or diseases. PFAF also lists no weed potential. Its main recorded uses remain its edible fruit and value for looks.