Pitanga

Ribbed red pitanga fruits grow in Uruguay’s native forests, and “caña con pitanga” is a traditional Uruguayan drink.

Pitanga is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the myrtle family, growing to 4–8 m, with glossy, aromatic leaves that turn red when young and in winter. Small, white, fragrant flowers with numerous stamens grow singly or in small groups in the leaf axils. The fruits are flattened, deeply ribbed spheres 2–3 cm across which, as they ripen, change colour from green through orange to red or almost black. The flesh is juicy, sweet-and-sour and slightly resinous in flavour.

Significance in the country

Pitanga grows wild in Uruguay’s riverside forests and is often planted in gardens as a hedge. The fruit steeped in caña – the local sugarcane spirit – makes caña con pitanga, one of the most traditional Uruguayan drinks.

Where it grows

Wild in riverside and hill forests, most abundantly in the north and east – from Artigas, Salto and Rivera to Treinta y Tres and Rocha; in gardens also in Canelones and Montevideo.

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