Jaboticaba in Rio de Janeiro 2025

While walking around Rio, you might see a strange-looking tree with little black balls stuck to the stem. Well, it's Jaboticaba or the Brazilian grape tree. Those little purplish-black fruits with white pulp are very popular and are usually used for making jellies or drinks (especially wine) but can be eaten raw as well. The interesting fact about these fruits is that they grow only in Brazil. There's even a tradition to call something allegedly unique to the country a 'jaboticaba' (in a pejorative way). Since it has a very short shelf-life and has to be eaten fresh, the best time to taste it is in May and September when mo​st crops are harvested.