Camu Camu: The Highest Natural Vitamin C in the Amazon
Camu camu contains 30-60 times more vitamin C than oranges by weight. The story of this Amazonian floodplain fruit and its modern supplement boom.
Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a small dark purple-red fruit from a shrub native to the seasonally-flooded forests of the Amazon. The fruit contains an extraordinary amount of vitamin C โ 30 to 60 times more than oranges by weight, making it one of the richest natural sources of the vitamin on Earth.
Origin and history
Native to the Amazon basin of Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Used by Indigenous Amazonian peoples for centuries as both food and traditional medicine. Modern commercial cultivation began in Peru in the late 20th century, driven by global supplement demand.
Where it grows today
Peru is the largest producer, followed by Brazil and Colombia. Most of the harvest is processed into powder for supplements rather than sold fresh.
How to grow
True tropical, USDA Zones 11-12. Small flood-tolerant shrub (3-6m). Tolerates seasonal flooding. Self-fertile. First fruit in 3-4 years.
Bottom line
A nutritional powerhouse from the Amazonian floodplain. Worth growing if you have the right climate.