Light. Grows best in full sun or light to moderate shade.
Water. Hand-water new plants when rain falls short for the first 5 to 7 months. Established plants need little water.
Soil and feeding. Adapts to acidic or alkaline soil, from sand to clay. Young plants grow faster with a shrub fertilizer such as Shrub Special; hedges over 4 ft rarely need any.
Size. Grows to 4 ft or more. 'Red Tip' is an inland type that can reach 15–25 ft if never pruned.
Pruning. Space hedge plants 36–50 inches apart. Trim two or three times a year, usually keeping it at 4–8 ft.
Problems to watch. Lobate lac scale leaves black sooty mold on leaves and stems. Weevils notch leaf edges, and algal leaf spot shows up occasionally.
Good to know. A Florida native with high salt and wind tolerance. Leaves are damaged at 32°F. The purple fruit is edible and slightly sweet, and gopher tortoises and other wildlife eat it.
Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Cocoplum · UF/IFAS EDIS ENH1289/EP553: Cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco) Identification and Uses
