Tropical Ruby

'Tropical Ruby' is a named Hawaiian acerola clone held as accession HMAL 3 in the USDA-ARS Malpighia field collection at Hilo, Hawaii. It sits in the sweet group of acerola cultivars alongside 'Manoa Sweet' and 'Hawaiian Queen', which were the selections chosen for fresh eating rather than for juice or vitamin C extraction. It is listed in the California Rare Fruit Growers acerola cultivar roster, though CRFG notes that this group of Hawaiian clones is seldom seen in Southern California nurseries. Its main value now is as conserved germplasm and as a collector's plant for rare-fruit growers who want a sweet acerola other than 'Manoa Sweet'. Documentation of its fruit measurements and yield is limited compared with the Florida and Brazilian releases.