Search Fact Sheets Virginia Tech Dendrology

cocoplum Chrysobalanaceae Chrysobalanus icaco L. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: CHIC
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, 1 to 3 inches long, thick and leathery, margins entire, broadly elliptical to nearly round with an often-notched tip, dark glossy green above and yellow-green below, petioles short.
Flower: White or tinged with pink, borne in 1 to 2 inch irregularly branched clusters near the ends of branches, individual flowers 1/4 inch with 5 petals, present much of the year.
Fruit: Resembling a plum, dark purple to blue-black with a waxy bloom, nearly round, 1 to 2 inches, present much of the year.
Twig: Moderate, brown to gray-brown, initially somewhat waxy, developing obvious raised lenticels, leaf scars raised and crescent-shaped.
Bark: Gray-brown and heavily lenticellate, may become scaly.
Form: A large multi-stem shrub or small tree to 20 feet (but more commonly to 10 feet), with a rounded crown.
Looks like: pond apple

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Additional Range Information: Chrysobalanus icaco is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information