PLEASE NOTE THAT I PREFER NOT TO SHIP TO HAWAII, PUERTO RICO OR INTERNATIONALLY DUE TO THE RISK OF THE PLANT NOT SURVIVING THE JOURNEY. IF YOU WISH TO COVER THE COST OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING YOU CAN MESSAGE ME PRIOR TO BIDDING OR MAKING THE PURCHASE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS EXPEDITED SHIPPING OPTIONS BUT I CAN NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR LOSSES DUE TO USPS OR OTHER SHIPPING CARRIER SERVICES THAT DO NOT DELIVER ON TIME RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF YOUR PLANT(S)

“You will receive 1 SEEDLING PLANT from 8 or more inches tall IN ONE BIODEGRADABLE CUP containing soil-less medium. This is a SEEDLING from my mature parent tree. Seedlings produce fruit within 2 to 3 years. Trees reach maturity at a height of 15 feet or more in ideal conditions. Prune to remain under 15 feet tall for easy fruit harvesting. Bright yellow flowers become orange-red olive sized fruits with a peanut butter flavor and the texture and sweetness of a fresh fig. Excellent container plant that will fruit in the container and although a tropical/subtropical perennial, it can be grown in northern climates and brought indoors during the winter. YOUR PLANT WILL BE SECURELY PACKAGED IN A BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER TO PRESERVE MOISTURE DURING THE 2-3 DAY SHIPPING. DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE PLANT, IT ISN'T UNUSUAL TO FIND THAT LEAVES MAY APPEAR WILTED OR MAY HAVE FALLEN OFF THE PLANT ON ARRIVAL. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOUR PLANT DIED. (see more below)”

The Peanut Butter fruit (Bunchosia Glandulifera, which is also known as Monk's fruit,  is a species of self pollinating, flowering plant related to the acerola family (the cherry family) native to Venezuela and Columbia and has long been cultivated in Brazil. It is often grown by rare fruit enthusiasts in Australia as well as in the USA, particularly Florida, Hawaii, and California. Peanut butter fruit can be grown in all 50 states provided it is containerized and brought indoors before temperatures drop below 40 F. Ample light must still be provided for the tree to continue to thrive indoors. 

The olive sized fruits are small, ovoid shaped, orange to red in color, and have a sticky, creamy, dense pulp surrounding one to two seeds. Both the skin and the pulp is edible. The scent and the flavor of the fruit has the distinct taste of peanut butter with a hint of dried figs. The fruit may be harvested just before achieving ripeness while it is still firm to prevent squirrels and birds such as Finches and Cardinals (they are attracted to the fruit)  from enjoying your crops. The fruit is extremely perishable and must be refrigerated/frozen if not eaten once harvested. Due to the perishable nature of the fruit, it has never made it to commercial availability making this a very special tree for those who love collecting rare fruit trees.  There are 2 different species of Peanut butter fruit that can be readily identified. The Bunchosia Glandulifera species, has a wavy pattern along the margins of the leaves while the leaf of Bunchosia Argentea has a more flattened shape. 

The Peanut butter tree is generally small in size, growing to a max of about 10 to 15 feet but can also be shaped to grow like a bush. The best aspect of this fruit tree is the fact that it can be grown from seed and begin fruiting in as little as 2 to 3 years. Seedlings are true to the parent plant so there is no need to clone in order to have an identical tree that has the same characteristics as the parent tree. Your  Peanut butter tree can be grown in the ground or in a container (18 to 30 inches in diameter and at least 14 inches deep will generally suffice) where it will still produce fruit which makes this fruit tree ideal for northern climates. The tree can be brought indoors and kept by a sunny window prior to the first cold snap. Extremely hot sun may cause leaf burns when the plant is young so acclimate your plant in the shade initially then slowly transfer to a more sunny location.

Peanut Butter fruit will grow best in a well draining but moist soil that is rich in organic matter.  Fertilize sparingly on a biannual basis with a good quality, slow time released 15-5-10 fertilizer that is free of excess salts which is common in cheap fertilizers. Under ideal conditions, the Peanut butter tree is fast growing with very impressive foliage. Perfect as a patio plant or can be grown in a row as an edible hedge.  Flowering is typically seen between March and October depending on your location. The fruit becomes bright red when at the peak of ripeness. Due to the multiple flowering cycles, multiple crops can be obtained throughout the flowering season.  

Besides producing delicious fruit that tastes just like peanut butter, this is also a very ornamental tree with beautiful clusters of flashy bright yellow flowers that are followed by an abundance of dark orange to red fruit. Similarly seen in cherries, which is a relative, ripe fruit along with the ornamental flowers can appear on the same branch which adds an even greater ornamental quality to the tree. Pulp from the fruit can be made into milk shakes, jellies, jams, cakes, cookies as well as preserves but mostly the fruit is typically eaten fresh out of hand. 

Nutritionally, this is an excellent fruit for eating. It was studied in Brazil where it was found to be high in carotenoids such as Lycopene which is found in high concentrations in the prostate. Other beneficial anti-oxidants are also present making this an excellent fruit for the human body. "LET YOUR FOOD BE YOUR MEDICINE AND YOUR MEDICINE BE YOUR FOOD!!"

I make every effort to ship plants as soon as payment is received. I do not provide hot packs so be mindful of cold temperatures in your area. This evergreen perennial tolerates mild cooler temperatures no lower than 40 F. If you are in colder zones you may want to wait at the mailbox if you order if you don't want your plant to freeze!! 

I ship all of my plants via USPS 2 to 3 day delivery but unfortunately, sometimes the postal service does not deliver on time and packages do sometimes get lost. Unfortunately, this is something that is out of my control. 

If your plant arrives damaged beyond saving, please message me with pictures of both your package and plant immediately so that I may correct the problem as soon as possible. There is no need to leave negative feedback as I always try to answer questions or concerns on a very timely basis, sometimes within minutes of being messaged. Your satisfaction is my greatest concern and I will do everything possible to make things right.