Island Marlberry

Description

“Pet poisonous” – Toxic parts: leaves Ardisia escallonioides, the Island marlberry, is a plant species native to the West Indies and neighboring areas. It has been reported from Barbados, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Florida. Ardisia escallonioides is a shrub or tree up to 15 m (50 feet) tall. It has elliptic leaves up to 17 cm (7 inches) long. Flowers are borne in a panicle of up to 20 flowers. Each flower is white to pink, up to 7 mm (0.3 inches) across. Fruits are fleshy drupes up to 7 mm (0.3 inches) across, red at first then turning black. Fruits of A. escallonioides are reported to be edible, but some consider the taste to be unpleasant.