This vigorous grower rarely exceeds heights of 1 - 3 m. It prefers areas of high rainfall and mild winters.
The fruits are often eaten raw in fruit salads. When cooked with lemon and sugar they are said to taste like stewed apricots. They are also dried, candied and frozen. The common name 'Col de Monte' means mountain cabbage and refers to the fact that the young seedlings and mature leaves are cooked as greens.
It is generally self-pollinated and the seed usually produces true to the parent. It hybridizes easily with chamburo and the offspring often bear heavily and have good fruit.