Quararibea funebris - Rosita de Cacao - Air Layer Plant 6" pot
The secret ingredient of the legendary Mayan Cacao drink, this tropical flower is now regarded as a ‘lost spice.’ White luxurious blossoms smell reminiscent of vanilla and toffee with notes of gardenia and jasmine! Rarely found for sale and truly never as an air-layer plant which is ready to bloom much sooner than a seedling!
This member of Malvaceae and cousin to cacao was treasured by the indigenous people of Southern Mexico and Guatemala for its scented flowers, which keep their scent for long periods of tie when dried. Not only was it used in the cacao beverage, hence the moniker, ‘Rosita de Cacao’ the flowers were also buried with prominent members of society also earning it the nickname ‘The Funeral Tree.’
Today, a long standing tradition remains alive in Oaxaca where these flowers are used to make a delightful fermented beverage called ‘tejate’. Flowers are collected and dried and ground into a paste which is then constituted with water and left to ferment. This is a signature flavor of Oaxaca, and one which you can make at home if you grow this unique plant!
The flowers prove to have lots of potential when applied to other culinary preparations such as beverages, infused liqueurs, confections, desserts etc!
It is a slow-growing tree which has proven to be cold tolerant to the low 30s F probably very similar in tolerance to cacao.
Air layer plant from our flowering age tree!
The secret ingredient of the legendary Mayan Cacao drink, this tropical flower is now regarded as a ‘lost spice.’ White luxurious blossoms smell reminiscent of vanilla and toffee with notes of gardenia and jasmine! Rarely found for sale and truly never as an air-layer plant which is ready to bloom much sooner than a seedling!
This member of Malvaceae and cousin to cacao was treasured by the indigenous people of Southern Mexico and Guatemala for its scented flowers, which keep their scent for long periods of tie when dried. Not only was it used in the cacao beverage, hence the moniker, ‘Rosita de Cacao’ the flowers were also buried with prominent members of society also earning it the nickname ‘The Funeral Tree.’
Today, a long standing tradition remains alive in Oaxaca where these flowers are used to make a delightful fermented beverage called ‘tejate’. Flowers are collected and dried and ground into a paste which is then constituted with water and left to ferment. This is a signature flavor of Oaxaca, and one which you can make at home if you grow this unique plant!
The flowers prove to have lots of potential when applied to other culinary preparations such as beverages, infused liqueurs, confections, desserts etc!
It is a slow-growing tree which has proven to be cold tolerant to the low 30s F probably very similar in tolerance to cacao.
Air layer plant from our flowering age tree!