Introduction to The British Gardener's website

Coccoloba uvifera

COMMON NAME

Seagrape or Baygrape

TYPE

Tree

FAMILY

Polygonaceae

NOTES

Reaching a height of 25 to 30 feet, Seagrape can take on a variety of shapes, depending upon its location but typically forms a multi-stemmed vase shape if left unpruned. The small, white flowers are on slender, terminal and lateral flower spikes. The female flowers are followed by pendent clusters of round, grape-like, green ripening to purple-red fruits. The leaves are green when mature, sometimes coppery when young, often red-veined at the base, alternate, and round to kidney-shaped. The plants branch low to the ground and have unusually thick trunks. The bark is smooth, peeling, and grayish to mottled with patches of white, gray, and light brown. The cut bark oozes astringent, tannin-rich, red sap that has been used as a dye and for medicinal purposes.

GEOGRAPHIC REGION

S. America - Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean

NATIVE HABITAT

A pioneer woody plant of sandy sea shores.  Coastal strand and limestone thickets

WEB SOURCES

wikipedia.org

wildlifeofhawaii.com

tropical.theferns.info



Coccoloba uvifera