Locust Berry
Byrsonima lucida

This is a four to five foot shrub in the everglades region yet may reach 35 feet in the lower Florida Keys.  Seed source will determine how tall it will grow.

The flowers occur from April thru June with the fruit ripening by the end of June.  The mass of white, changing to pink, then to red flowers are incredible when in full bloom in April.  Birds like the pea sized brown berries, which are edible to humans too. It is a larval food of the Florida dusky wing butterfly.

Not very tolerant of salt. Once established in rich soil, it needs no additional watering.

Mix the small variety with lignumvitae, chapman’s cassia, quailberry, golden creeper, thatch palms, Florida privet and other rockland plants.  The tall variety can be used the same way or as an accent tree that will put your neighbor’s flowering exotics to shame.

Cold tolerant up to middle Palm Beach County.