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cagaita

Eugenia dysenterica Mart. ex DC.

Family: Myrtaceae · Genus: Eugenia

cerrado cherry

Secondary II Medium No biomass production
Conrado · CC BY · Wikimedia Commons

Native Cerrado fruit tree (4–10 m), rounded canopy. Flowers in August–September at peak drought before the rains — white blooms covering bare branches. Yellow fruits ripen 30–40 days after flowering — pulp tart-sweet, edible in moderation (laxative effect in quantity, source of the name). High fire resilience, very low maintenance. Embrapa Cerrados has developed pulp processing techniques.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Low
Drought tolerance
High
Soil pH range
4.5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Sandy, Loamy
Hardiness zones
9–12

Morphology

Mature height
4–10 m
Recommended spacing
6–8 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
50–100 years
Time to first harvest
48 months
Productive lifespan
50 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Cagaita takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈10 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Spacing 6×6 m to 8×8 m. Fire-resistant. Low water and nutritional demand.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September

Fruiting months: October, November

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of cagaita?

The first harvest of cagaita comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for cagaita?

The recommended spacing for cagaita is 6–8 m.

How tall does cagaita grow?

At maturity, cagaita reaches 4–10 m tall.

When does cagaita fruit?

Fruiting of cagaita occurs in October, November.

When does cagaita flower?

Flowering of cagaita occurs in August, September.

What stage and stratum does cagaita occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, cagaita belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous Medicinal

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Embrapa Cerrados — Avaliação pós-colheita de cagaita (description, phenology)
  2. Plants of the World Online (POWO) — Eugenia dysenterica DC. (external_ids, family, genus)

External references

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