Coco Plum
(Chrysobalanus icaco)
Coco Plum (Chrysobalanus icaco)
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Juan Carlos Caicedo Hernández
CC BY 4.0
Image By:
Juan Carlos Caicedo Hernández
Recorded By:
Copyright:
CC BY 4.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Juan Carlos Caicedo Hernández | License Type: CC BY 4.0 | License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | Rights Holder: Juan Carlos Caicedo Hernández | Publisher: iNaturalist | Date Created: 2021-06-04T10:48:09-07:00 |
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Chrysobalanus icaco, commonly known as Coco Plum, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to coastal and inland regions, including mangrove edges, dunes, and dry limestone outcrops in the Americas, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa. It typically grows to 1–3 meters (3.3–9.8 ft) as a shrub, or as a bushy tree reaching 2–6 meters. Coco Plum has a dense, rounded form with leathery leaves that are dark green and glossy. The small, greenish-white flowers are inconspicuous, blooming intermittently throughout the year with a peak in late spring. The showy fruit, a drupe, varies in shape and color depending on the plant’s proximity to the coast; coastal forms produce round, white to dark-purple drupes, while inland forms bear oval, dark-purple fruit. The fruit is edible, with a bland to mildly sweet flavor, and is used in jams and jellies.
Coco Plum is valued for its ornamental foliage, manageable size, and edible fruit. It is used in landscaping for hedges, borders, and as a specimen plant in subtropical regions. It adapts to a range of soil conditions, including alkaline soils up to pH 8.4, and can tolerate partial shade, though it thrives in full sun with medium water requirements and well-drained soils. Despite its benefits, Chrysobalanus icaco can become invasive outside its native range, particularly in island ecosystems, and should be planted with caution.CC BY-SA 4.0
Coco Plum is valued for its ornamental foliage, manageable size, and edible fruit. It is used in landscaping for hedges, borders, and as a specimen plant in subtropical regions. It adapts to a range of soil conditions, including alkaline soils up to pH 8.4, and can tolerate partial shade, though it thrives in full sun with medium water requirements and well-drained soils. Despite its benefits, Chrysobalanus icaco can become invasive outside its native range, particularly in island ecosystems, and should be planted with caution.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Tree, Subshrub, Shrub
- Height: 10-30 feet
- Width: 10-20 feet
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Flower Color: N/A
- Flowering Season: Spring, Summer
- Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
- Water: Medium
- Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast
Common Uses
Bird Garden, Drought Tolerant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Hedges, Low Maintenance, Street Planting
Natural Habitat
Coastal and inland regions, including mangrove edges, dunes, and dry limestone outcrops
Other Names
Common Names: Icaco, Paradise Plum, Abajeru, Coco-Plum, Icacopflaume, Ciruela De Algodón, Prune Colon, Icacier, Icaquier, Ajurú-Branco
Scientific Names: , Chrysobalanus icaco, Chrysobalanus icaco var. genuinus, Chrysobalanus icaco var. icaco, Prunus icaco,
GBIF Accepted Name: Chrysobalanus icaco L.