FNPS Plant Database

Vallesia antillana

pearl berry, tearshrub
  • Photo by: Roger Hammer, Dade Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

pearl berry, tearshrub

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Vallesia antillana

Family:

Apocynaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Shrub

Size:

5–10. ft tall by 5–10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

white

Phenology:

Evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Fruits, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen shrub. Foliage is shiny, attractive. Grown mostly for its interesting, translucent fruits.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

De-pulped seed.

Light:

Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

Alkaline

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:

Birds, Mammals

Native Habitats:

Tropical rockland hammock, coastal rock barren, beach dune, coastal strand. Lower Keys only

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

It is listed as endangered by the state of Florida and as critically imperiled in South Florida by The Institute for Regional Conservation.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Chafin, L. G. (2000). Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL.


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, FL.

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