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Hand pollinate miracle fruit Synsepalum dulcificum on a regular schedule to esure steady production
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Realizing I finally solved the mystery, I purchased a small artists brush. Flower by flower I inserted the tip of the brush into the end of each flower. I pressed enough to see that some portion of the tip of the brush forced it's way inside the petals.
Hand pollinate periodically to ensure regular production
About once or twice per week, I'd take the brush and go back through the plant inserting the tip of the brush inside the petals of each closed flower.
Some of the flowers seem to have a pistil protruding 2-3 mm while other's don't. I don't know if the protruding pistil is an indicator of sex or flower maturity. Basically, if the flower is large enough that I can get the tip of the brush inside the petals, I pollinate and that's what my mom does now that she's taken over the role of honeybee.
After pollination
About 6-8 weeks is needed from first pollination until you have ripe miracle fruit berries. As I previously mentioned, the flowers don't seem to open until 1-2 weeks after they have been pollinated. The opening is actually caused by their drying out.
These miracle fruit flowers were pollinated 1-2 weeks previously.
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Miracle fruit berries will soon appear at the base of where the dead petals are attached.
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After pollination, the flower petals will turn dark brown to almost black before a miracle fruit berry forms enough that you can regognize it as being a green berry.
Depending on when in the flower's stage you pollinated it, green miracle fruit berries may appear from 2-4 weeks after pollination. After another 3-4 weeks, the berries should be ready to pick.
Miracle fruit berries will soon appear at the base of where the dead petals are attached.
Click to enlarge.
Some miracle fruit berries will appear by themself, others will grow in clusters. When the berries are all red, they are ready to be picked.
You don't need to chew the seed to get the effect of miracle fruit. If you want to germinate the seed, let the seeds sit on a counter for about three weeks. Plan on one out of three or four germinating. Once germinated, 3-4 years will be needed before your plant is ready to bear. So, it's easiest to buy an already bearing plant from a nursery.
I find that when giving someone a miracle fruit, tell them to make sure they get their tongue and mouth well coated. wait 60-90 seconds to allow the miraculin to take effect before giving them a slice of lemon or something else acidic. Normal taste returns after about 30-60 minutes.
