In addition to vitamin C, Sea Grapes also help control sugar level and activity of free radicals, reduce intracellular accumulation of sorbitol and inhibit the binding of glucose and protein, reducing complications of diabetes. Sea Grapes are a wonderful source of calcium, potassium and vitamin C and are effective in reducing blood pressure due to the ability to promote excretion and maintain normal blood pressure for people with high blood pressure. ![]() It is often planted as a windbreak near beaches and as a hedge. It is drought tolerant and highly tolerant of salt spray and salty soils as well as strong sun and wind. ![]() In its native tropical range from Argentina north throughout the West Indies and in Florida, it occurs on sandy coasts, coastal hammocks, coastal scrub, coastal grasslands and beach strands. It is now found pantropically and has been introduced to Taiwan, Australia and the Philippines. The Plant is indigenous to Mexico, northern South America, the Caribbean and southern Florida. Large tree generally produces several thousand fruit per season, more than enough for individual use. ![]() Assurance of a productive female tree with good quality fruit needs vegetative propagation. Fruit is produced only on female trees but a male tree must be present for pollination. Most fruit matures during the summer, but in some years some fruit may mature in late fall because of late bloom. Fruit normally ripens unevenly in individual racemes and readily drops from the tree. Edible pulp which varies from acid to sweet and insipid surrounds a single, large, pointed seed which may account for 2/3 of the fruit volume. It is produced in large clusters resembling grapes. The fruit remain green and hard for a long time but eventually one by one they change to their mature deep purple color when ripe. The fruit has the size of a large marble but a bit tougher than the ordinary grape and it has one large seed. The flowers on female plants are followed by globose to pear-shaped fruit about 3/4 inches in diameter. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant with five petals and eight stamens and bloom mainly in spring but also occasionally throughout the rest of the year, with female and male flowers on different plants. Inflorescences are 10–30 cm, puberulent or glabrous, pistillate pendent in fruit peduncle 1–5 cm, glabrous. Leaves are alternate, short-petioled, large, leathery, glossy, dark green, broadly bean-shaped, with wavy margins, up to 15 centimeters long, 8 in (20.3 cm) in diameter with a reddish-colored primary vein extending from the base. Twigs are green and puberulent when young, grey at maturity, glabrous or pubescent. Barks are smooth grayish to mottled with patches of white, gray, and light brown bark that peels off in flakes, with reddish sap, inner bark is light brown. Minor element deficiencies may appear in calcareous soils. It grows well in sandy soil but usually grows faster and larger in more fertile soils. It is widely tolerant to most soils, provided they are well drained. The plant is found growing in tropical climatic conditions mainly in the coastal hammocks, coastal scrub, coastal grasslands and beach strands. Sea grapes are a sprawling evergreen shrub or small tree that grows about 2–15 m high with a bole of 30–60 cm with spreading or sprawling branches and a sparse crown. The male and female plants can be distinguished by the appearance of their flowers with the males showing dead flower stalks. For this reason, many are seen planted along the beach edges in Barbados as they also aid in adding stability to these very beach edges. The sea grape tree is wind resistant and highly tolerant of salt conditions. ![]() Few of the popular common names of the plant are Bay Grape, Bow Pigeon, Caracas Kino, Coccoloba Kino, Columbian Kino, Hopwood, Horse wood, Jamaican Kino, Mangrove Grape, Platter leaf, Pigeon Wood, Sea Grape, Seaside Grape, Seaside Plum, Shore Sea-Grape, Shore Grape, South American Kino, West Indian Kino, Wild Grape, Wild Mangrove Grape and Wild Seaside Grape. The plant is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean, including southern Florida, the Bahamas, Barbados and Bermuda. It is a flowering plant from the Polygonaceae family, which also includes buckwheat. Coccoloba uvifera commonly known as sea grape, uva de playa or uvero in Spanish and raisin bord de mer in French is a small, low branching shrub or tree that grows up to 15m in height.
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