Flowers and fruit of the Coco Plum
Description:
The fruit is edible and is used for jam. The fruit, up to 4 cm (1.5 inches) long, is a pulpy drupe, sweet but rather tasteless.
Coco Plum is a shrub 1–3 meters (3.3–9.8 ft), or bushy tree 2–6 meters (6.6–20 ft) , rarely to 10 meters (33 ft).
It has evergreen broad-oval to nearly round somewhat leathery leaves (3 to 10 cm long and 2.5 to 7 cm wide). Leaf colors range from green to light red.
The bark is grayish or reddish brown, with white specks.
The flowers are small, white, in clusters, appearing in late spring. In late summer it bears fruit in clusters, that of the coastal form being round, up to 5 cm in diameter, pale-yellow with rose blush or dark-purple in color, while that of the inland form is oval, up to 2.5 cm long, and dark-purple.
The coastal form is highly tolerant of salt, so it is often planted to stabilize beach edges and prevent erosion.
Coco Plum is also planted as an ornamental shrub. The tree is unable to survive a hard frost. The fruit is edible and is used for jam.
Growing Environment:
The coco plum is highly adaptable to coastline areas and will grow in alkaline conditions. It can withstand both salt spray and sandy soil. the plant thrives in sunny spots with moderate watering.
The fruit of the Coco Plum
Propagation:
Coco plum fruit of this area are large and pinkish white when mature. The rough seed capsule contains one white seed, which may be planted in sandy soil.
The seeds take roughly 60 days to germinate, although scarification by fracturing the outer pod can help to increase germination time.
Medicinal uses:
Bark is used to treat dysentery. Infusions of fruit, bark, or leaves are taken several times a day for hemorrhages and chronic diarrhea.
Uses:
Fruit and kernels are edible, raw or cooked. Wood can be used in carpentry.Leaves are used as a source of dark dye.
Coco Plum Tree
Native Range:
Native to coastal areas from northern South America through:
- Central America
- Mexico
- the Caribbean
- Southern Florida
Alternative Names:
- Chrysobalanus icaco
- Icaco
- Pork-Fat Apple
- Zicate
