Barbados cherry is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae. Common names include acerola cherry, Guarani cherry, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry, and wild crepe myrtle. Acerola is native to Paraguay and Brazil in South America, Central America and southern Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti, but is now also being grown as far north as Texas and in subtropical areas of Asia, such as India.
The branches are brittle. The leaves are simple. The flowers are bisexual with five pink or red petals. The fruits are bright red drupes, juicy, and has high vitamin C content making the fruits taste sour. The fruits are edible, usually eaten raw but also made into juices, baby food, jam, etc. It is also grown as ornamental shrub and hedges in Landscaping. Keep spacing 4 for a hedge. It gives fewer fruits in partial shade. It requires warm climate. It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and other methods. A width of pots should be around 24 inches for single acerola tree.