# sea grape (*Coccoloba uvifera*) Sea grapes are fun plants that grow near the beach! They have big, round leaves and produce small, grape-like fruits that are loved by birds and other animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 24 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![sea grape](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_080604-6302_Coccoloba_uvifera.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_080604-6302_Coccoloba_uvifera.jpg) ## Appearance The sea grape has large, round, leathery leaves that start reddish, turn green, and then often blush red or orange before falling. Its small, greenish-white flowers grow in spikes, leading to clusters of purple, grape-like fruits. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Polygonaceae - **Genus:** Coccoloba ## Interesting facts - Each sea grape leaf can grow as big as a dinner plate! - Indigenous people used sea grape leaves to make healing teas and dye clothes! - Jelly made from sea grape fruits tastes like a sweet, wild berry! - The wood of a sea grape is so hard, it used to be called "ironwood"! ## Special abilities - **Salt Shield:** Sea grape can tolerate salty ocean spray and sandy soil, helping it thrive where most other plants struggle to grow. - **Beach Anchor:** It has deep, strong roots that help stabilize sandy coastlines, protecting them from erosion by wind and waves. - **Color Change Signal:** Its broad leaves change from green to vibrant red, orange, or yellow before falling, a beautiful seasonal display. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 200-1000 cm - **Spread:** 200-800 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Northern Mockingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-mockingbird) (*Mimus polyglottos*) — Eats the sweet, ripe sea grape fruits. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits small flowers to collect nectar. - **Shelter:** [Brown Pelican](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-pelican) (*Pelecanus occidentalis*) — Coastal trees provide resting and nesting spots. ## Traits - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't eat the fruits without asking an adult first, as not all fruits are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify sea grape? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is sea grape? 200-1000 cm ### How wide does sea grape spread? 200-800 cm ### How big are the flowers on sea grape? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does sea grape bloom? Spring to summer ### Is sea grape edible? Yes ### Is sea grape toxic? None ### What is sea grape's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Allerton Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allerton-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairchild-tropical-botanic-garden) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Gasparilla Inn Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gasparilla-inn-historic-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Waimea Valley](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/waimea-valley) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Boca Chita Key Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boca-chita-key-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Collins Waterfront Architectural District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/collins-waterfront-architectural-district) — Florida, US · Historic District [View all places to see sea grape](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sea-grape) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Sea Grape: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-grape)