Barbados Cherry Tree (Malpighia emarginata)

The Barbados Cherry is one of the most rewarding edible plants you can grow in a warm climate — a compact tropical shrub that produces bright red, tart cherries packed with more vitamin C per ounce than almost any other fruit. The flavor is bright and acidic rather than sweet, with a soft skin that ripens quickly from green to vivid red. It blooms and fruits simultaneously during the growing season, so you'll have flowers and cherries on the plant at the same time. Expect fruit within about two years.

What I love about it:

• Light: Full sun for best fruit production; tolerates partial shade
• Water: 2–3x per week while establishing; drought-tolerant once mature
• Size: 4–6 feet tall — great for small gardens, large containers, or privacy screens
• Fruit: Bright red, tart cherries rich in vitamin C — eat fresh or use in jams, jellies, and syrups
• Fertilizer: Balanced fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing season
• Cold hardiness: Handles brief dips to 28°F; often regenerates from roots if frozen
• Difficulty: Easy once established — prune above a node to encourage branching and more fruit

Bloom bold. Be cheeky.