Pointilla – also known as dotberries – are spot on!
I was convinced the two Pointilla, or dotberries, (also known as umbellate oleaster) had failed in their first year. Their tiny white flowers (which are slightly scented) looked like they’d all dropped off, and I left them to it. However, when clearing out the sweet peas in autumn, peeping out from under the leaves was a crop of golden and red berries. They’re packed with nutrients, but I can’t imagine them ever being available at the supermarket, as they’re fiddly to pick. All the more reason to grow them!
They look good enough to be planted in a border, but do grow quite large (you can prune them), and they have good autumn colour. Unfortunately, they did grow too big for my overplanted garden, but if you have the space, I’d heartily recommend them.
Dotberries – Plants aren’t self-fertile
Plants are not self-fertile, so grow two together – I had Sweet ‘n’ Sour (coral red berries with white dots) and yellow Fortunella. The fruits have a prickling, sweet/sour flavour (advertised as being a bit like popping candy) from mid-October to early November, so a welcome crop at a lean time of year.
Pollinator Fortunella has amber-yellow berries with white dots, a sweeter flavour, and larger berries. They taste great with boring breakfast cereal and fat-free yoghurt.
Both shrubs came from Swiss fruit specialists Lubera at www.lubera.co.uk. PLEASE NOTE: Lubera no longer sells plants to the UK after Brexit. It is working on a solution to deliver directly to customers’ homes in the future.
Potted guide: Pointilla
- YIELD: Mid-October to early November; approx. 4 kg is possible by the third year.
- HEIGHT: Can reach 3-4m high, limit the height by pruning to 2-2.5 m – cut out shoots regularly that are 4-5 years old or more.
- ASPECT AND SOIL: Full sun, slightly acidic soil (although mine is neutral and they did fine).
- HARDINESS: Hardy.
- PLANTING DISTANCE: 1.5-2m (mine were planted closer, as I willfully ignore instructions).
- FERTILISATION: They are not self-pollinating plants. You must plant either Fortunella or Amoroso with Sweet ‘n’ Sour as pollinators.
- DIFFICULTY: Easy.
