Red Stopper

Eugenia rhombea

Red Stopper is a very rare shrub that grows to twelve feet over a long period of time. It is found in the upper keys in moist, rich soil and will need these conditions in the home landscape.

The plant looks very similar to White Stopper although the leaves are more round at the base, smaller, and are closer together. They also tend to lie in the same plane rather than wander about the stem the way White Stopper does.

The berries of Red Stopper go from green to yellow to orange and finally black. Birds love them and they are astringently sweet and edible. The slow growth makes this a good choice for a low shrub that will need only yearly pruning to stay below three feet.

Establishment takes a long time, so keep up with the weekly watering for about a year until the plant no longer wilts when cut off from the watering routine.

This is a great plant to mix with other low shrubs on the edge of a hammock planting. It is not salt tolerant though and should be planted well back of the dune and protected by other trees and shrubs.

Try mixing with Wild Coffee, Bahama Wild Coffee, Myrsine, Marlberry, Florida Boxwood, Spanish Stopper, RedBerry Stopper, Wild Cinnamon, Soldierwood, Crabwood, Pineland Privet, Florida Privet, Tetrazygia, Bitterbush, Blolly, The Guettardas and Black Ironwood.

Click for more info on Red Stopper. And here to compare with White Stopper