Gardening with Tropical Fruit

The Golden Spoon

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

If you don’t have room for large tropical fruits and prefer something a little smaller and more easily fitted to smaller landscapes, you might try growing the maricao or golden spoon (Byrsonima crassifolia).

This is an evergreen large shrub or small tree which is native to many islands of the West Indies and to much of the tropical America area. The variable shaped leaves are formed in whorls of three and the tree or large shrub grows over a wide variety of soil types.

Small yellowish-gold flowers are produced in terminal clusters from summer into early fall and these are followed by yellow acid fruits about ½ inch in diameter which are called nanche in Mexico. They can be used as a fresh fruit, but are more often used in soups or meat stuffings.

Trees can be started from seeds and plants are able to be grown on most any soil type if it is well drained. These trees are not common in Florida at the present time, but should be tried in more areas. There are no superior selections available and how far north the golden spoon will survive is uncertain.

Since it is found in very warm locations in the wild, it should be protected here in Florida from frost or freeze and from direct salt spray on the ocean front. There are few pest problems with this particular plant and it should make a great container specimen when small.