Sea Grapes
Coccoloba uvifera
Sea Grapes
Coccoloba uvifera
The sea grape, Coccoloba uvifera, is a familiar sight along beaches throughout the Caribbean and tropical Americas. It grows as a hardy evergreen shrub or small tree and is remarkably tolerant of salt spray and harsh coastal winds. One of its most recognizable features is its large, round, leathery leaves, often marked with striking red veins. Young leaves can appear brownish before turning green, and as they age they shift to deep red before finally breaking down—usually quite slowly on the forest floor.
The bark is a pale gray with lighter patches, and the tree produces long spikes of small whitish to greenish flowers. Sea grapes begin forming their characteristic fruit clusters in late summer. The fruits start out green, about 2 cm across, and gradually ripen to shades of red or deep purple. Only female trees produce fruit, since the species is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. Bees and other insects are responsible for carrying pollen between them.
The ripe fruits are edible and have long been used to make jellies and preserves. Beyond their culinary use, sea grape plants are important for coastal protection. Their wide growth form and strong, spreading root systems help stabilize sandy shorelines, making them an essential part of the natural beachfront landscape.
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Coccoloba
Species: C. uvifera
Binomial name: Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera
The sea grape, Coccoloba uvifera, is a familiar sight along beaches throughout the Caribbean and tropical Americas. It grows as a hardy evergreen shrub or small tree and is remarkably tolerant of salt spray and harsh coastal winds. One of its most recognizable features is its large, round, leathery leaves, often marked with striking red veins. Young leaves can appear brownish before turning green, and as they age they shift to deep red before finally breaking down—usually quite slowly on the forest floor.
The bark is a pale gray with lighter patches, and the tree produces long spikes of small whitish to greenish flowers. Sea grapes begin forming their characteristic fruit clusters in late summer. The fruits start out green, about 2 cm across, and gradually ripen to shades of red or deep purple. Only female trees produce fruit, since the species is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. Bees and other insects are responsible for carrying pollen between them.
The ripe fruits are edible and have long been used to make jellies and preserves. Beyond their culinary use, sea grape plants are important for coastal protection. Their wide growth form and strong, spreading root systems help stabilize sandy shorelines, making them an essential part of the natural beachfront landscape.
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Coccoloba
Species: C. uvifera
Binomial name: Coccoloba uvifera
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