Guettarda scabra aka Pigeon Bay

Guettarda scabra is an evergreen shrub or tree in Rubiaceae. Its common names include rough velvet-seed and velvet berry. Its native range runs from southern Florida through the Caribbean to Colombia. The Caribbean range includes the Bahamas, Cuba, and Trinidad. Kew places it in the wet tropical climate zone. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The sources describe a woody plant that keeps its leaves year-round.

Its crown spreads out and has an open form. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height range of 10–33 feet [3–10 metres]. The same source also lists 16 feet [5 metres] separately. Neither figure defines a usual height range for garden plants. The trunk can reach about 0.33 feet [0.1 metres] in diameter. The supplied accounts do not give a mature crown width. They also lack details on bark, leaf shape, and stems. The open crown and evergreen habit are its main described features.

The plant can flower and bear fruit at different times throughout the year. The source describes this timing as irregular, rather than seasonal. It does not give a peak flowering month or season. Nor does it describe flower colour, scent, or shape. The supplied text also gives no fruit size or colour. These gaps limit what can be said about its floral display. No pollinator or seed-dispersing animal is named in the evidence.

In Puerto Rico, it grows in clearings, thickets, and other open places. Its habitats include coastal areas, moist limestone areas, and lower mountain regions. These records describe where it grows in the wild. They do not establish its garden light or water needs. The sources give no frost limit or hardiness zone. Seed is listed as a way to grow new plants. Cuttings also root readily, which supports its use for living fences.

People sometimes collect its wood from wild trees for local use. The wood is hard and light brown. It serves as material for stakes and as fuel. Living fences provide another documented use for this species. Useful Tropical Plants records no known food or medicinal uses. It also lists no known hazards, but gives no safety testing. That is not proof that all parts are safe to eat. The supplied sources name no pests or diseases.