Common Name: Red Stopper

General Information

Red stopper is an evergreen shrub or small tree with an oval crown that can reach an ultimate height of 6 metres, but is usually smaller. The bole can be 5 - 20cm in diameter[, ].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its edible fruit and useful wood. A very ornamental plant, it is sometimes grown in gardens and used in amenity plantings[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Venezuela; C. America - Panama to Mexico.Caribbean -Windward Islands to Cuba and on to Florida;

Habitat

In deciduous forest and scrub, at or near sea level, or on very dry, rocky hillsides at elevations of 700 - 1,500 metres[]. An understory tree in limestone soils in coastal uplands in Florida[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in open, sunny positions and in dappled shade[]. Tolerant of a range of soil types, including sand, loam and clay, so long as they are well-drained[]. Succeeds in mildly acidic and alkaline soils[]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[].
Plants can flower all year round[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - fleshy[]. The round fruit is red/black when fully ripe and about 10mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Amenable to trimming, the plant can be grown as a hedge[].

Other Uses

The light brown heartwood is heavy, hard, close-grained and strong. It is not durable in the ground. Because of its usually small dimensions, it is mainly used for posts and stakes but is also used locally for cabinet work when large enough pieces are available[, , ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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