Go with the flow

    Camu camu thrives in riverbanks in the Amazon rainforest, but this tropical plant can be adapted to hot subtropical climates.  People have tried to move this plant on drier land for greater production.  Research is being done on the possibility of cultivating Camu camu because the species has never been domesticated.  Harvesting is difficult and time-consuming so researchers are trying to adapt the Camu camu tree to upland areas and initial results are encouraging. 
    Scientists worked with different kinds of fruits in the same family in order to obtain rootstocks of this family adapted to dry land for vegetative propagation of Camu camu (only camu-camu rootstocks showed compatibility).  So there is definitely progress in producing Camu camu trees in greater amounts and soon this tree will have adapted to a slightly different environment.

    The atmosphere, location, and maturation all affect Camu camu and its chemical compostion.  In regions of higher temperatures and light exposure, carotenoids (organic pigments that absorb light energy for use in photosynthesis) are significantly higher in the fruit.  In addition, a mature ripe fruit is more acidic and has less ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) compared to a mid-ripe fruit.

    Like most plants, Camu camu has many specialized structures that help it function and strive in the rainforest.  It has roots to aid in the uptake of water and nutrients, stems to transport the water and nutrients to the leaves and fruit, leaves to increase surface area for photosynthesis, and fruit to store, protect, and help disperse seeds.