Common Name: Barbados cherry, Acerola. Tamil Name: Nellivakai
Barbados cherry is planted around Coimbatore areas for its edible fruit which is often consumed as cherry. The plant is an evergreen shrub of Central American origin and grows to a height of about 2 meters. The leaves are near sessile; the leaf measure around 3.9 cm in length. The leaf is obtuse- elliptic in shape with a rounded tip and a cuneate base. The inflorescence is in the form of a cyme, the flower has 5 crimpled petals which are pink in color; the petals are not fused together. The flower stalk measure around 1.6 cm in length and flower measurers around 2 cm across. The calyx is green in color. The petals are obovate in shape and measure around 7 mm each. The fruit resembles a cherry and is red in color. The flower encloses 3 pistils and around 10 stamens are seen. This shrub is sold in most plant nurseries in Tamilnadu. Barbados cherry is a shrub and can be planted even in small house gardens.
