Garden Club of Cape Coral | Native shrubs: Cocoplum and Walter’s Viburnum
Our Florida native shrubs can be welcome additions to any landscape. Not only do they provide shelter, food and nesting sites for many of our wild friends, they also help reduce soil erosion and contribute to added curb appeal.
Take the ever-sturdy Cocoplum, also known as Chrysobalanus icaco. This hardy perennial has dense foliage, tolerates most soil types and is moderately drought tolerant. It is a fast-growing shrub, reaching a height of 15+ feet if left unattended. However, the shrub can be maintained at a much shorter height with periodic pruning.
Because the Cocoplum is one of the most cultivated plants in south Florida, you have no doubt seen them flourish in many a planting bed, in verges and along roadways, oftentimes planted in groups to form privacy hedges.
The flowers attract a variety of pollinators and the drupes, or fruits, are enjoyed by larger birds. And, yes, we humans can enjoy the berries which, in addition to being tempting to look at, are also edible. Having never tried one before, I recently sampled a mature, one-inch purple fruit taken from one of my red-tipped bushes, and found it to have a mild, tasty, slightly sweet flavor. There is not much “meat” to be had because the center pit takes up quite a bit of space. Therefore, quite a few “plums” will be needed should you choose to use them to make jams or jellies. I recently saw a recipe online calling for 200 of them!
If you feel less height and more spread is preferable, consider the C. icaco var. “Horizontal” cultivar. Although it can reach up to 6 feet in height, the bush can be easily maintained at 2-3 feet, making it excellent ground cover. Because of its sprawling habit you will want to provide sufficient spacing between plants. Small, lovely white flowers are followed by primarily white, edible drupes.
Walter’s Viburnum, or Viburnum obovatum “Walter,” is another hardy Southwest Florida shrub that does well in sun or part shade. The sunnier the location the more flowering will occur. The plant can grow to 20 feet; however, like Cocoplum, it can be maintained at a manageable height with regular pruning. Beautiful clusters of blossoms attract butterflies and other pollinators. Birds and other wildlife enjoy the fruits, which turn from red to black when ripe.
C. icaco and V. obovatum can be bothered by pests occasionally, with two of the more common ones being aphids and scale insects. For aphids, a burst of water to dislodge them normally does the trick as a least toxic measure. If you observe aphids, before dislodging them, check to see if beneficial insects such as lady beetles are present. If they are, consider maintaining the status quo, as those insects are predators of the aphids, and will surely be taking care of business. Scale insects can normally be controlled with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. If you are unsure as to what may be bothering your plants or the best approach to pest management, email your concerns to extgardener@leegov.com. A Lee County Master Gardener volunteer will respond to your query.
Cocoplum and Walter’s Viburnum are tried-and-true landscape shrubs in Southwest Florida. When planted in the right place, they can provide many years of added interest in your landscape.
Happy gardening!
Janetta Fox is a Lee County Master Gardener volunteer and member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at GardenClubofCapeCoral.com.
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