Coco Plum
Chrysobalanus icaco
- Native to:
- Angola, Bahamas, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Brazil, Cameroon, Cayman Is., Central African Republic, Central American Pacific Is., Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Liberia, Mali, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southwest Caribbean, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Virgin Islands, Windward Is., Zambia
iNaturalist: © eileenr (iNaturalist #26502978)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Chrysobalanaceae
- Genus:
- Chrysobalanus
- Species:
- Chrysobalanus icaco
- USDA Symbol:
- CHIC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub , Tree
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Slosson's roadside skipper (Alarodia slossoniae)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Io moth (Automeris io)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from roots and crown after fire; common in fire-maintained coastal scrub communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, nutrient-poor, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in coastal areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Fresh seeds germinate more readily; remove fleshy fruit coating before sowing.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI