Byrsonima

( BUR - soh - nee - mah )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus includes species of tropical and subtropical trees, shrubs, and subshrubs. They are native to an area that ranges from southern Mexico to southeastern Florida, and down to the Caribbean and southeastern Brazil, and are commonly called Locustberries or Serrets. Most species are known for their edible fruits, which are called Nance. These plants are used for their ornamental appeal as well as their ability to attract wildlife, and can make wonderful flowering accent shrubs or trees in mixed beds and borders. Their dense, evergreen foliage makes them effective for privacy screening, as well.

Byrsonima Species and Varietals

The genus Byrsonima is a member of the plant family Malphighiaceae, and includes 135 distinct species. These plants grow in USDA hardiness zones 9-12. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Byrsonima crassifolia (Nance, Nanche, Maricao Cinum, Craboo, Golden Spoon, Hogberry, Savanna Serrette, Murici, Muruci)
This species is valued for its edible fruit, which are small, round, and strongly scented. It forms a slow-growing shrub to small tree to 33 feet tall. It is highly drought-tolerant once established, and can tolerate temperatures down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, needing protection from hard freezes, especially when young. Flowers are yellow, and are followed by small, yellow-orange fruits.

Byrsonima lucida (Locustberry, Long Key Locustberry, Guanaberry)
Endemic to the Caribbean and the state of Florida in the United States, this species forms a shrub or small tree. Individual plants grow to reach 5-15 feet tall and just as wide. They produce pink flowers in clusters towards branch tips. They are followed by small, edible, berry-like drupes that emerge green and mature to dark purple.

Byrsonima sericea (Murici, Nance, Serrette)
This semi-deciduous tree reaches up to between 20 and 60 feet tall when mature. Flowers are orange, and develop into small fruits. These plants prefer wet, deciduous forest landscapes, and are commonly found growing by rivers or other small, moving bodies of water. The species is native to Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guyana, and French Guiana.

Caring for Byrsonima

Plant Byrsonima in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms and fruit harvests. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 5.5 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, Byrsonima trees and shrubs are considered drought-tolerant, able to get by for much of the year on rainwater alone, with supplemental deep waterings during extended periods of drought.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up their appearance and encourage reblooms. When these plants are young, train them to have one central leader if a tree-like form is desired. Remove inner branches to increase airflow and discourage fungal diseases. Byrsonima plants are considered long-lived perennials, able to live for many decades in the landscape before needing to be replaced.

Harvesting Byrsonima
Byrsonima shrubs and trees are commonly grown as ornamentals, but also produce edible fruits. They are called Craboo or Nance, and are small (cherry-sized), round, and yellow to deep purple (depending on the species cultivated). Fruits have a strong, pungent aroma that is described as soapy, buttery or cheesy. They have a high oil content, and flesh is whitish. They have a taste that is a mix of sweet, sour, and savory, often described as a mix between Lychee, Banana, and green Apple, with cheesy undertones. They are typically harvested 2-4 months after flowering, produced on trees that are over 1-4 years old. They are harvested from trees and shrubs when they are mature, which is indicated by fruits dropping from their attachments. They ripen quickly, and are typically processed soon after harvesting into juices, jams, or fermented drinks due to their short shelf life. They can be stored unwashed in the refrigerator for a few days.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Byrsonima shrubs can be propagated by cutting or seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. To propagate your Byrsonima, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Byrsonima by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a container, a pot or tray, potting medium, and a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. Byrsonima seeds are located inside fruits, which form after flowers fade and range in color from yellow-orange to red or dark purple. Each fruit typically contains 1-3 small, hard, inedible seeds housed within oil, white pulp.
Get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them lightly with soil and water with a spray bottle. Place the sown seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-4 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of a fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet. Keep your seedling in an area with bright light and temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when the seedling can be hardened off and then planted outdoors.

Propagating Byrsonima by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In late summer or early fall, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that the plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances the cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6-8 inch softwood or semi-hardwood portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. It should be kept in warm, sunny conditions in a protected area. Water whenever the soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, the cutting should be rooted. New growth indicates the formation of roots.
Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when the seedling can be hardened off and then planted outdoors.