St. John Flora: Malay Gooseberry, Phyllanthus acidus

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Gooseberry Fruit

The Malay Gooseberry, Phyllanthus acidus, also called West India Gooseberry and grosella in Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, is thought to have first grown in Madagascar and then spread through the east Indies. It was brought to Jamaica in 1793 and now can be found throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Here on St. John it is mostly used to make jam. When the gooseberries are cooked up with sugar they turn a ruby-red.

See Gooseberry article on the St John Life Blog