Finally came across some ripe coco plums! We have some growing in our food forests and have been patiently waiting for the first flowers. Regardless, it seems like it’s time to restock on seeds and maybe use this as a barrier on our properties. Coco Plum, or Icaco, is a low growing, sprawling, evergreen shrub that usually does not grow taller than 1.5 meters although it may occasionally grow into a small tree reaching up to 5 meters which would make it perfect to grow along the fence line. Native to coastal regions of tropical America although it may have originated, like many of us on the island, from Western Africa. The sweet fresh fruits, although lacking in flavor, are eaten out of hand. They do sometimes cause an astringent taste similar to caribbean almonds. These fruits can be stewed with sugar or made into a jam. They were one of the most important fruits used by the early settlers in coastal areas of Florida. In Cuba, the boiled fruits are made into a sweet preserve and eaten as desert. The seeds can also be roasted and eaten like a nut. Apart from it’s edible factor, these shrubs are salt tolerant and can be trimmed into a hedge and planted along beaches or gardens to prevent soil erosion. ・・・ #growninhaiti #cocoplum #icaco #chrysobalanusicaco #fruit #tropical #tropicalfruit #native #haiti #ayiti #organic #growth #seedharvest #foodsecurity #seedsovereignty #nogmos #nopesticides #noherbicides #foodforest #agroforestry #growsomething #livefencing https://www.instagram.com/p/B2kAmwGFmEM/?igshid=nptqcnayo97x
