The Amazing Miracle Berry Plant!

The Miracle Berry Plant (Synsepalum dulcificum) is a fascinating tropical plant known for its extraordinary ability to alter taste perceptions. When you eat the berry, it temporarily modifies your taste buds, making sour or acidic foods taste incredibly sweet! The effect comes from a compound known as miraculin, which temporarily blocks the receptors that perceive sour, while binding protons on the tongue that activate the sweet receptors. The effect is only temporary. Once the protein is washed away with saliva the taste buds go back to normal. The effect can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. This unique phenomenon makes the Miracle Berry (or Miracle Fruit) popular among those seeking natural sugar alternatives.

Here is how we recommend tasting the Miracle Berry:

1. Put the whole berry in your mouth, but do not bite into the berry because there is a seed inside.
2. Work the skin and pulp of the berry and coat your mouth and tongue with the taste.
3. Savor the sweetness.
4. Wait a few minutes, then taste something that is typically sour, such as a lemon or sour pickle.

If you bite into a tomato, it will be the sweetest tomato you have ever eaten! Dry red wine will be miraculously transformed into a sweet wine. Remember, the effect can last up to several hours, so plan accordingly.

Originating from West Africa, the Miracle Berry Plant itself is an evergreen shrub with shiny leaves that produces small red berries. It thrives in warm, humid climates and requires well-draining soil. It makes a delightful addition to gardens and provides an intriguing and memorable culinary experience for those who try its magical berries. When available, we offer this Miracle Berry Plant for sale here at Logee's: 

Potting Mix

One of the most important cultural aspects is the soil mix. Over many years, we discovered that Miracle Berry needs an acid soil mixture for successful growth. We recommend half sphagnum peat moss and half perlite.

Fertilizing

Miracle Berry is sensitive to high amounts of fertilizers and can easily get burned if you apply too much. This shows up as browning on the edges of the leaves. Moderate amounts of fertilizer can be used once a month. Use a dilute solution (1/4 to 1/8 of the label requirement) and only fertilize the plant when the soil is already moist. Never fertilize Miracle Berry when the soil is dry.

Watering

Water when the soil is visibly dry but do not bring to a severe wilt. Also, we recommend using distilled water, rain water, or filtered, non-chlorinated water so any chemicals or chlorine in your tap water will not harm the plant.

Pollination

Although, Miracle Berry is self-pollinating, if grown inside, we recommend manually brushing your hand over the flowers to ensure pollination and a good crop of berries. Do this when the small inconspicuous flowers are open and preferably during the sunny part of the day.

Sunlight

Full exposure or partial sun is required. However, if given full sun, your Miracle Berry plant will produce a crop of berries twice a year or more. If given partial sun, berries will be sparse and only produce once a year.

Expected Size

Miracle Berry is an upright grower and will accommodate its height and size according to the pot it’s grown in. A 14” pot can easily grow into a 5’ tall tree. The larger the plant, the more berries it will produce. Once established, Miracle Berry will continue to produce fruit throughout the year, if grown in full sun.

Cutting vs. Seed

The main difference between seed grown and cutting grown is the length of time until fruit appears. Cutting grown plants will produce berries much sooner than seed grown.

Be sure to watch the video below for more information on how to grow and care for the Miracle Berry Plant: