How to Grow Miracle Berry

Miracle Berries prefer acidic, well-draining soil.

The miracle berry plant (Synsepalum dulcificum) is also called Sweet Berry and Miracle Fruit. It is a small bush that resembles an azalea. Small white flowers develop, which then grow into fruit. Miracle berries are interesting as houseplants. They have a distinct characteristic. If you chew on one of the fruits, the pulp doesn't taste like anything. But, it coats your tongue and makes everything you eat for the next few hours taste sweet. Even lemons and vinegar won't taste bitter.

Things You'll Need

• Planting containers (small to medium sized)
• Miracle Berry seeds
• Sunny windowsill
• Perlite and peat or Canadian acid peat and pine bark
• Water
• Water spray bottle or plant mister
• Wire or wood frame
• Clear plastic bag
• Tray
• Stones
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Grow miracle berry in acidic soil. They prefer a soil pH between 4.5 and 5.8. If you grow miracle berry in a pot inside, they will do very well if moved outside over the summer.

2. Combine perlite and peat together in a small to medium-sized plant pot. This will create a more acidic soil. Pine bark and Canadian acid peat also work well. Mix them in equal parts. Fill the pot up with the soil mixture.

3. Stick a finger in the soil to a depth of about 2 inches. Place a seed in the hole and cover it with the soil combination. To increase odds of germination, plant a few seeds in the pot, spacing them out a couple of inches.

4. Keep the soil moist to the touch. Allow a couple of weeks for the miracle berry seeds to germinate.

5. Transplant each seedling into its own pot. A one quart container is a good size. Fill it with the 50/50 combination of perlite and peat. Dig a hole for the sprouts. Lift the small plant out of the first pot, keeping the roots intact, and place it in the hole. Cover and water to eliminate air pockets.

6. Put the plant somewhere that gets a lot of sun. A sunny windowsill will do just fine. Once it gets warm outside, move the plant to a lightly shaded, warm location.

7. Check the soil to make sure it drains well. Miracle berry doesn't do well if planted in wet, waterlogged soil. If it's too wet, back off on watering.

8. Maintain humidity around the plant. Miracle berries come from a tropical climate and need the humidity. Mist the leaves once a week with a water spray bottle or plant mister. Put a small plastic bag around the top half of the plant. Hold the bag in place with a wire or wood frame. This will keep the moisture from evaporating. You can also fill a tray with stones and water, then place the plant pot on top of it. This water will evaporate and add humidity to the air.

9. Feed miracle berry with a water soluble blend such as Miracid. Apply more during the growing season then in the dormant season. Follow the instructions on the label.

10. Transplant miracle berry when the roots take up the entire container. Move the plant into a slightly larger one, using more soil mix to fill in the extra space. Make sure the plant if at the same depth it was in the previous container.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not prune miracle berry plant.

• Do not allow miracle berry to become waterlogged. The roots will rot.

References

• Union County College: Miracle Berry
• California Rare Fruit Growers Inc.: Miracle Fruit Facts

Resources

• Instructables: Growing Your Own Miracle Berry