Coco-plum
Chrysobalanus icaco
Plant Family: Chrysobalanaceae
Leaves: Alternate, simple, glossy, oval to round, the apices are often notched, to 8 cm; held in an upright two-ranked arrangement along the branches.
Bark: Light gray or brown, rough.
Flowers: Small, white, five petals, in small clusters near the branch ends; all year.
Fruits: A purple drupe (the color may vary to a light yellow), to 4 cm, enclosing a single seed; the fruit and its enclosed seed are both edible, and the fruit is used to make preserves in South America.
Habitat: Coco-Plum is found in a variety of habitats, frequently near water, and it tends to form thickets in damp soils; it is also widely planted and is sometimes trimmed to form hedges.
Growth Form: Shrub to small tree.
Key Feature: Coco-plum is best identified by its distinctive leaves, which are oval to round and held in two upright ranks along the branches.
Comments: This is a common south Florida species that ranges south into the tropics. The seeds are transported by birds, which love the fruit, and may also be delivered by water to new habitats, explaining its widespread distribution.
