Sea Grape (SPC Florida Plants )

Sea Grape

Coccoloba uvifera

Summary ²

The seagrape is an evergreen large shrub or small tree that is common on sandy, rocky shores and sand dunes in South Florida. The common name refers to the location in which the plant is found as well as to the spherical fruits that hang in clusters resembling bunches of grapes. Sea grape is not a true grape, however, and it belongs to the buckwheat family. The accumulation of sand by the leaves, limbs and stalks plays a major role in the construction of the beach and dune system. Seagrape can reach a height of 25-30 ft., and can take on a variety of shapes, depending upon environmental conditions. Typically, if left unpruned will form a multi-stemmed vase shape. It grows equally well inland or on the coast. The tree often has several leaning trunks and crooked branches. Even single-trunked specimens often branch close to the ground. Large trunks may be buttressed, fluted, or angled. The trunk has a smooth, pale gray bark that exfoliates in thin plates. After which it becomes distinctively mottled over time with whitish, gray, and brown colors while retaining its smooth texture. Twigs are green when young, becoming gray or sometimes brown as they age. The twigs are ringed at the nodes with a gray or brown membranous sheath known as an ocrea that is a modified stipule. The leaves are alternate, simple, broad, leathery and orbiculate in shape with distinctive red veins. The leaves are mostly 3-10 inches long and 4-12 inches across and heart-shaped at the base. The short petioles are 1/2 to 1.0 inches long and maroon colored. From March to April most trees quickly exchange old leaves for new ones. The leaves may be a shade of orange when young, green when mature and rust color when older, right before they drop. Flowers mostly appear in the spring shortly after new leaves emerge. They are tiny whitish green and are held on terminal and lateral racemes. Racemes are dense and narrow and are up to 12 inches long. Flowers are on short stalks, 1/16-1/8 inches long. Seagrape is dioecious having both male and female flowers on different plants. The flowers contain much nectar making seagrape a locally important nectar plant for bees and other insects. Cross-pollination is necessary for fruit development, and only female plants produce fruits. Seagrape fruit are elliptic or egg-shaped achenes about 3/4-inch long. Immature green fruit are formed by June. They are as tightly packed as the flowers they replaced. There are approximately 120 achenes on the average cluster which are up to 12 inches long. In late summer and fall, the fruit mature to a purple color. They contain a single elliptic seed. The sap of the sea grape is used in the West Indies and Jamaica for dyeing and tanning. The edible fruits can be used to make preserves and wine. Sea grape fruits are eaten by many birds which disperse the seeds.

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More Info

Range Map

iNat Map

Ecosystem	Coastal uplands
Leaf arrangement	Alternate
Leaf shape	Orbiculate
Flowers	White
Fruit	Green, Purple

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