Miracle Fruit Coming to South Florida - Part 2

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

Miracle fruit is a new berry to Florida that when eaten can make other acidic foods appear sweet. Researchers like Dr. Alan Chambers at the University of Florida are working on growing systems to potentially commercialize the crop.

Chambers… “As opposed to mangoes or something where you get one harvest a year, for a miracle fruit you get six harvests every year. We were also able to identify different types that produce much more than others. So if you were a grower and you wanted to put in an acre of miracle fruit, we'd be able to give you finally a recommendation that says you're going to make the most money and get the best product by growing this particular type of miracle fruit bush.”

The crop is new, but if you’re interested in growing some miracle fruit yourself, resources are available.

Chambers… “If they're looking to buy plants right now, there are people that are willing to sell both retail and wholesale in South Florida. So these plants are ready to go to be shipped out. And again, we don't sell the plants, we just connect the dots. So we've got advice on, you know, growing them in the shade. We've got advice on what the substrate should be, and now where to get the plants. So it'd be easy for someone to get going. And if nothing else, it's also great for homeowners that might want to put this in their backyard because it produces plenty of fruit for just fun.”

Dr. Chambers says he likes the miracle fruit is best when it is used to make strawberries and raspberries taste sweater.