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genipa

Genipa americana L.

Family: Rubiaceae · Genus: Genipa

genip, huito

Climax High No biomass production
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Pan-Brazilian native fruit (Cerrado, MA, Amazonia, Pantanal). EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the '> 50 years' bin. Edible fruit and source of dark blue natural dye used in Indigenous cosmetics. Tolerates flooding well.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Gardenia brasiliensis Spreng., Genipa caruto Kunth, Genipa barbata C.Presl, Genipa brasiliensis (Spreng.) Baill., Genipa excelsa K.Krause, Genipa grandifolia Pers., Genipa oblongifolia Ruiz & Pav., Genipa pubescens DC., Genipa spruceana Steyerm.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Climax
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
High
Strata
High
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Soil pH range
6–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Clayey, Loamy, Sandy

Morphology

Mature height
10–25 m
Recommended spacing
6–8 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
≥ 80 years
Time to first harvest
72 months
Productive lifespan
50 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Genipa takes the High stratum in the Climax 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 · ≈25 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

A rustic, heliophilous, semi-deciduous tree, drought-resistant and easily adapted. Prefers deep sandy-loam to silty-clay soils rich in organic matter, pH 6.0–6.5, rainfall 1,300–1,500 mm/yr and temperatures of 23–28 °C. In the Cerrado it stays smaller (6–8 m). Withstands long flooding periods, making it a promising species for riparian-forest restoration. Plant in 40×40×40 cm pits at 6×6 m spacing. Outcrossing — plant several individuals; pollinated by large bees (Bombus, Epicharis).

✂️ Management & Pruning

A moderate-growing, hard-wooded tree; trained to a single trunk for fruit and timber. No coppice/pruning regimes are documented — its naturally dense rounded canopy needs no hard pruning.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: November, December

Fruiting months: September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of genipa?

The first harvest of genipa comes around 72 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for genipa?

The recommended spacing for genipa is 6–8 m.

How tall does genipa grow?

At maturity, genipa reaches 10–25 m tall.

When does genipa fruit?

Fruiting of genipa occurs in September, October, November, December.

When does genipa flower?

Flowering of genipa occurs in November, December.

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

In a syntropic system, genipa belongs to the climax stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Dye Timber Medicinal Ritual

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. EcoAgri — Organização de algumas espécies vegetais por tempo de vida (placentas) e estrato (Cartilha 'Liberdade e Vida com Agrofloresta') , p. 6 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
  2. Macêdo (2007) — Cultivo de Fruteiras em Sistemas Agroflorestais (Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental), Quadro 5 , p. 19 (phenology)
  3. Silva et al. (2017) — Genipa americana (Jenipapo), in Plantas para o Futuro — Região Centro-Oeste (MMA/Embrapa) , p. 228 (height_min_m, height_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, cultivation_notes, waterlogging_tolerance, drought_tolerance, light_need, growth_rate, propagation, time_to_first_harvest_months, phenology, synonyms, common_names, pruning_notes)
  4. Flora e Funga do Brasil — Genipa americana L. (Reflora, JBRJ) (family, genus, biomes, external_ids)
  5. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Genipa americana L. (external_ids)
  6. Wikidata — Genipa americana (Q1353278) (external_ids)

External references

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