Randia aculeata aka Inkberry

Randia aculeata has the common name white indigoberry. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Its native range includes southern Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico. It also grows wild in northern South America. It grows in dry tropical and subtropical zones. It lives in open woods and on limestone sites. It also grows at the edges of coastal woods. In Florida, it grows in pinelands that escape fire.

This shrub grows slowly and can form a small tree. Garden plants reach 6–10 feet [1.83–3.05 metres] tall. They spread 5–8 feet [1.52–2.44 metres] wide. Broader accounts give heights up to 20 feet [6 metres]. Its round crown has stiff branches with spines and open gaps. Many branches grow almost level with the ground. Young stems are thin and green. Small leaves with a tough, leathery feel group near branch tips. Each round leaf has one blade and a smooth edge. Its pinnate veins branch from a central vein. Leaf pairs sit opposite or almost opposite each other. UF/IFAS says the leaves stay green year-round. Useful Tropical Plants also notes that leaves may fall.

Small white flowers grow where leaves meet the stems. Their scent is sweet, and they can bloom all year. Butterflies carry pollen between the flowers. The fleshy white berries draw birds. UF/IFAS describes oval fruit about half an inch to one inch long. Useful Tropical Plants describes smaller, round berries. Their pulp is blue or black. Each berry holds several seeds. People eat the fruit raw, though they rate its taste poorly.

Grow white indigoberry in full sun or light shade. Shade gives it a more open shape. It needs soil that drains well. Sandy or rocky ground suits it. It also copes with loam, clay, and acidic or alkaline soils. Avoid sites where water drains poorly. It copes well with drought, which suits dry gardens. It withstands salt spray well but tolerates only moderate soil salt. UF/IFAS lists USDA zones 10–11. Useful Tropical Plants says plants may withstand some frost once established.

Use it as a specimen, border shrub or foundation plant. Its ability to cope with salt suits coastal gardens too. Growers sometimes train it as bonsai. Roots seldom cause trouble. UF/IFAS reports no major pest or disease problems. No reports identify the species as invasive. Local people make blue dye and ink from the berries. They use the hard wood for fuel and stems for fishing rods. Folk remedies use fruit for dysentery and latex to stop bleeding. These uses do not prove that such treatments are safe or work. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards. It gives no safety assessment specific to pets.