Common Name: Coco Plum

General Information

Chrysobalanus icaco is a slow-growing, small evergreen tree with a twisted bole that, at times, grows prostrate along the ground[]. It grows from 4 - 6 metres tall.
The tree produces an edible fruit that is commonly gathered from the wild and greatly appreciated locally[]. It is sometimes cultivated for its edible fruit in some areas of the tropics, especially in South America, and is also grown as an ornamental[, , , ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America from Brazil, north to the Caribbean, Mexico and southern Florida. West tropical Africa - coastal areas from Senegal to Angola.

Habitat

Forests near the shore line[]. Coastal shoreline and sandy thickets[]. Usually found where the soil is moist or flooded[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant for the humid lowland tropics[].
Prefers a position in full sun or light shade[]. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[]. Plants can succeed in both poor and fertile soils[]. Requires a well-drained soil[]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[]. Very tolerant of salt-laden winds[].
Plants have escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in some areas[].
There is at least one named form[].
Plants usually flower in two or more flushes per year[], and can flower intermittently throughout the year[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. A fairly sweet, white, spongy flesh[]. They are stewed in sugar, dried like prunes or made into jams and jellies[]. The ovoid fruit is 2 - 5cm long[]. The purple or red-skinned fruits are considered to have a superior flavour to white forms[].

Seed - raw or cooked[]. A delicious flavour[]. They are roasted and eaten[]. When preserving the fruits, they are pierced right through the centre, including the seed. This allows the juice of the fruit to penetrate the seed and, after separation from the shell, the nut-like kernel is eaten[].

An edible oil can be extracted from the seed[].

Medicinal

The root, bark, fruit and leaves all contain tannins and are astringent[, ]. They are used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and dyspepsia[, ].
They are used externally as a wash to treat skin complaints[].

The juice of the roots and leaves, mixed with oil, is used to contract the sphincters of the vulva by women wishing to simulate virginity, and the same preparation is used by men for treating flaccid scrotum[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be grown as a hedge[]. They are particularly well suited for use by the sea[].
The plant often forms large, rambling, impenetrable thickets and so it has been used to stabilize sand dunes[].

Other Uses

An oil can be obtained from the seed[]
The seeds are so rich in oil that they can be strung on sticks and burnt like a candle[].

The bark is rich in tannins[].

A black dye can be obtained from the fruit[, ].
A black dye can be obtained from the leaves[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A moderate germination rate can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 20 - 25 days[]. When the seedlings are 4 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 6 - 7 months later[].
Soft nodal cuttings.
Layering.

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