Sea grape or also known as bay grape belongs to the buckwheat family. This flowering plant is native to the coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean. It has a moderate-size tree with evergreen leaves and edible fruits that look like grapes. Actually if the plants grow inland without much exposure of salty wind, the tree can grow larger in size, approximately 15 meters high.
Sea grapes are dioecious. Male and female flowers grow on different plants, thus they need insects to bear fruits. Both male and female flowers look alike, but the female ones have small stamens and a larger pistil, and the male flowers don’t yield fruits. Usually, the sea grapes’ flowers bloom between January and August, and bear fruits from March to October. The ripened fruits with purple color can be seen about two months after flowering.
If you are curious to see real sea grapes, visit us at Komaneka at Keramas Beach! The sea grapes grow heartily, forming a tunnel in the tropical garden overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean.
How can we identify the male and female plant of seagrapes while still young
Both male and female flowers look alike, but the female ones have small stamens and a larger pistil, and the male flowers don’t yield fruits.