Coccoloba uvifera
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Seagrape
Polygonaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 10-50 ft ft tall by 3-35 ft ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Green,black | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous. Blooms predominantly in spring, fruit ripens by late summer. Moderately long lived (Nelson 2003). | |
| Noted for: | Fall color, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Works well as a specimen plant. Its thick, large leaves make it stand out from most other plants in the landscape. Very useful in settings subject to salt spray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Fast growing, tends to sprawl. Very cold sensitive if planted inland from the coast even in the counties noted as its range. Unless cold is extreme, it will sprout back from the root. May be damaged by hurricanes, but sprouts back quickly. Leaves take a long time to decompose, so plant where leaf litter is not a problem. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Layering, seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Quality nurseries, Seed, Specialty providers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Adaptable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Birds and other wildlife consume fruit. | |
| Insects: | Nectar plant for Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), julia (Dryas iulia), Schaus' swallowtail (Papilio aristodemus ponceanus), the introduced fulvous hairstreak (Electrostrymon angelica), and other butterflies.(IRC) Attracts bee pollinators. | |
| Native Habitats: | Coastal uplands |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| Ethnobotany: | Fruits are edible with sweet-sour flavor sometimes used to make jams and jellies. It is possible to make wine from the fruits. The resin of the bark has been used in tanning and dying. | |
| General Comments: | Can be pruned. |