Synsepalum Dulcificum The Miracle Fruit Plant

The miracle fruit is a remarkable natural sweetener that is virtually unknown to much of the world. The Miracle berry (synsepalum dulcificum) has a very unusual effect when the fruit is absorbed over the tongue. A relatively poor taste berries with a great reaction. After having eaten a miracle fruit, bad things will instantly taste sweet. Eating even sourest of lemons, will taste only sugary sweetness. The effect lasts for an hour or two.

Native Range : Native to tropical West Africa.

Description : A slow growing bush or small tree to 15ft.

Flowers : The small 1/4 inch white flowers of miracle fruit are produced in flushes through many months of the year.

Fruit : The fruit is a small bright red, ellipsoid berry approximately 2 to 3 cm long and containing a single seed. Although not sweet itself, when a single fruit is eaten and the fleshy pulp allowed to coat the taste buds of the tongue and inside of the mouth, an extraordinary effect occurs. The fruit will now allow one to eat a slice of lemon or lime without wincing. The marvelous aroma and inherent sweetness of the citrus remains but the sourness is almost completely covered. The effect remains for some 30 minutes or more.

Propagation : By seeds. Seeds should not be dried out before planting.

Hardiness : Hardy to about 32F. Plants will show a slow decline in cooler temperatures (below 55F) and prefer a year-round warm climate.

Uses : Berries are eaten fresh. In its native range, Africans sometimes use the fruits to improve the taste of stale food. Fruits are being investigated as a possible source for a natural food sweetener.

Growing Environment : Needs acid soil and is intolerant to alkaline conditions. Increasing the half land half peat works well and the plants have a significant advantage of the sporadic application of acid fertilizer. Will tolerate frost minimal when full grown, but the plants need plenty of water annually. The miracle fruit is not grown outside the United States except southern Florida, but it is a house plant. Fruit that is produced through the years and hundreds of berries can be harvested from a single plant. The miracle fruit growing and fruit and in containers.

They had plans for a variety of products, including the Miracle Fruit GUM, Ice Lolli Miracle Berry, Miracle Fruit Candy. Ice Lolli contained no sugar at all, and how full of goodness. A study was conducted with children between one miracle Berry ice Lolly and a regular sugar filled version.

Fresh Miracle Fruit has been on sale in the USA originally from the Miracle Fruit Man (search Google) and retails quite expensive, over 4$ per fruit (which is about the size of a grape). It contains a stone and can be grown in a green house.