Coccoloba uvifera

Common Names

Seagrape, Sea Grape, Baygrape, Shore Sea-Grape, Platterleaf, Jamaican Kino

Summary

Sea Grape is a tropical evergreen native to coastal Florida, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. It forms a multi stemmed, vase shaped shrub or tree with large round leathery leaves that display prominent red veins; new growth is bronzy and can turn red in winter. Cream colored, inconspicuous flowers appear on long racemes, and female plants bear clusters of edible fruit that are green when immature and ripen to dark purple.

Preferring full sun to partial shade on well drained soils, including sandy coastal soils, it tolerates salt spray and is drought tolerant once established. It is commonly used as a hedge, windbreak, shade tree, or dune stabilizing planting in coastal landscapes; propagation is by seeds or cuttings, with pruning 2 to 3 times in the first 10 years to train multiple trunks. Fruits are edible and can be used for jams, jellies, or wine; leaf litter occurs; pests include seagrape borer and nipple gall; climate considerations include frost sensitivity with hardiness in USDA zones 10A to 11.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

35-50 ft

Spread

20-30 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Sandy, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil pH

No single ideal pH, tolerates acidic to alkaline soils, pH 5.8–8

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring to early Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds