FNPS Plant Database

Morinda royoc

cheese plant, Indian mulberry
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Dick Diener
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

cheese plant, Indian mulberry

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Morinda royoc

Family:

Rubiaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Informal landscapes. Its growth form is to be scrambling in a thicket or climbing as a sprawlingg vine. Habitat restoration.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Light:

Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Butterflies

Butterfly nectar source.

Native Habitats:

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Rogers, George. (2012). Morinda royoc. ( https://treasurecoastnatives.wordpress.com/category/morinda-royoc-2/ ). Accessed 2026.

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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