Armadillo Live Plant (Pradosia brevipes)

A perennial plant called armadillo fruit has an underground stem that branches and spreads, generating upright shoots at regular intervals and forming vast colonies. The shoots may reach a height of 30 cm. It is indigenous to Paraguay and Brazil in South America. It is an underground tree whose branches stretch out on the soil’s surface. Curiously, occasionally the fruit is discovered completely buried in the ground without even a branch remnant.

Locals forage for the edible fruit in the wild and eat it. The globular fruit has a diameter of roughly 5 cm. Its pulp is mushy, gelatinous, slightly sweet, and has a unique flavour.

Common Name: Tatoo fruit, Armadillo

Botanical Name: Pradosia brevipes

Bloom Time/Fruiting: 3 to 5 Years

Maintenance Required: Moderate