Coco Plum (Chrysobalanus icaco)

Family: Chrysobalanaceae | Edibility: Choice Edible (4/5)

Coco Plum or Chysobalanus icaco is a widely cultivated food plant commonly found near sea beaches and inland. It is a small evergreen tree or a shrub that grows up to 6 m tall. It has long, flexible branches, green, leathery leaves, and small greenish white flowers that form into erect clusters in the leave axils. It can also be grown as a hedge and it is propagated by seeds or woody stem cuttings.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Berries, Nuts/Seeds

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweet, white, spongy flesh. — Edible portion: Fruit, Kernel, Seeds, Nut.; Fruit - raw or cooked.; A fairly sweet, white, spongy flesh.; They are stewed in sugar, dried like prunes or made into jams and jellies.

Habitat & North American Range

Forests near the shore line. Coastal shoreline and sandy thickets. Usually found where the soil is moist or flooded. (Zone 10)