Macleania rupestris

This montane shrub with showy, hanging crimson flowers has much relevance for local people because of its sweet, edible fruit. They gather it from the wild for their own sustenance, while also trading it in local markets. Though not an official crop, tropical blueberry is also sometimes locally cultivated for the same reasons.

Macleania rupestris Flower, Leaf, Uses - PictureThis (picturethisai.com)

A lovely scrambling evergreen shrub to about 2 m tall but sometimes climbing higher, with elliptic, simple leaves and terminal inflorescences that sport masses of spectacular red to pink, tubular flowers with white tips, followed by small fruits that are edible, sweet and similar to blueberries. The new leaves appear in bright pink to salmon tones. Macleania rupestris is widespread and fairly common in montane and cloud forests along the Andes from Costa Rica to Bolivia between 1700 and 4300 m. The fruits are sometimes found in markets in the Andes, but in cultivation the plant is rare outside of its native range. It adapts easily to cool, humid climates that lack extremes of heat or cold.

Macleania rupestris – Buy seeds at rarepalmseeds.com

 

 

 

 

 

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