Uvaria Rufa Fruit Plant

Uvaria rufa is a species of woody climbing shrub or vine known for its edible, clustered red fruits and its use in traditional medicine. It is commonly known as susung-kalabaw (meaning ‘carabao teats’ in the Philippines)

Characteristics:

• Plant: Uvaria rufa is a monoecious, evergreen, scrambling or climbing shrub that can grow up to 5 to 6 meters tall. It grows primarily in seasonally dry tropical biomes, including open and dense forests, from near sea level up to 1700 m in altitude. 
• Flowers: The small, fragrant flowers have six deep red, waxy petals and bloom in clusters of one to four.
• Fruits: The distinctive fruits appear from May to August in aggregate clusters, similar to grapes. When ripe, they are deep orange or a rich red, round or oblong berries, each containing numerous seeds encased in a sweet, granular, and acidulous translucent pulp.

• The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible fruits, which are esteemed locally and often sold in markets. In tribal cuisine, the berries are used to make sweet chutney or syrup.
• In traditional medicine, various parts of Uvaria rufa have been used to treat a range of ailments

This is a 1 year old seedling plant