SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION Locustberry

Locustberry (Byrsonima lucida) is an evergreen large shrub or small tree that can grow upwards of 15 feet and wild. So be sure to give this one room to grow — you’ll be glad that you did! It blooms in late winter or early spring. The flowers come in clusters and change color from white to pink to orangey red as they mature. The flowers develop and age separately giving each cluster a range of colors. It is said that this one will put your neighbor’s flowering exotics to shame. Locustberry will grow well in sandy soils and is very drought tolerant once it is established. It has few pests and is disease-resistant. It does attract native bees and is a nectar plant for the Florida duskywing butterfly. The locustberry’s home is the Miami pine rocklands and it is listed as threatened due to habitat loss.