Ciruelo Cimarrón
Cyrtocarpa edulis

GROWING CONDITIONS
AN EXPLANAITION OF TERMS USED

SUN full to part sun

WATER moderate to low water

SOIL well-drained

BASIN top

CONTAINER does very well in containers

HARDINESS frost tender, protect from temperatures below 30°F

FEEDING moderate to low

MAINTENANCE low, protect from frost

ECOLOGY
Fruits for birds.

ETHNOBOTANY
Fruits are edible and taste like buttered popcorn! This plant contains antioxidant compounds, which have been studied to determine if they can be used to improve germination and growth of other cultivated crop species such as tomatoes and peppers.

NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
This species most commonly occurs in the Cape Region of Baja California Sur, but may be found in the mountain ranges from the southern Sierra de la Giganta to Los Cabos. It also occurs on the adjacent islands of San Jose, Espiritu Santo, and Cerralvo in the southern Gulf of California. This plant is commonly found on sandy plains and slopes, and often in arid, tropical forests or in areas of deep soil in the mountains. It is intolerant of shade in the foothills, and is sensitive to low winter temperature in the highlands.

TAXONOMY AND NAME
This species is in the Anachardiaceae, the cashew family. There are 12 species of Cyrtocarpa. Their habitat is dry forests to open arid areas. They grow naturally in Mexico and northern South America.
Cyrtocarpa translates to round-fruited, referring to the shape of the fruit, while edulis means edible.

Cyrtocarpa edulis on iNaturalist