An evergreen, slender, erect, short trunked, heavily foliaged tree (to 10.5 m) native to coastal southern Brazil. It can withstand temperatures as low as - 3°C.
It grows best on deep, fertile, sandy loam. The plant is very slow growing. Fruiting begins when the plant is 4 - 5 years old. The fruit is deep crimson to almost black, 1.25-2 cm wide, with soft melting flesh and is eaten out of hand or made into jams and jellies.
Nutritional composition of the grumichama per 100 grams of edible portion is: Water - 83.5%, Protein - 0.102 g, Ash - 0.43 g, Calcium - 39,5 mg, Iron - 0.45 mg, Phosphorous - 13.6 mg, Carotene - 0.039 mg, Thiamin - 0.044 mg, Riboflavin - 0.031 mg, Niacin - 0..336 mg, Ascorbic acid - 18.8 mgs.
Germination is by seed which has very short viability (a few weeks).