English clammy berry, White cordia
Cordia alba

Family: Boraginaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 8 m tall and the trunk can be 20 cm across. The crown is usually broad and rounded. The bark is light grey and deeply cracked. The leaves are alternate. The leaves are broadly oval with coarse irregular teeth. They are 5-12 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. The upper surface is rough and hairy. The flowers are white or pale yellow. They are about 2 cm across. They are funnel shaped. The fruit are oval and fleshy. They are about 2 cm long. They have a stone and white flesh.

There are about 300 Cordia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Puerto Rico it grows to 160 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Barbados, Belize, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Puerto Rico, South America, Venezuela, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit pulp is eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chachalaca, Chachalaco, Chirimo, Uvito

Synonyms

Calyptracordia alba (Jacq.) Britton; Carpiphea dentata (Poir.) Raf.; Cordia calyptrata Bertero ex Spreng.; Cordia corylifolia Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.; Cordia dentata Vahl; Cordia leptopoda K. Krause; Varronia alba Jacq.; Varronia calyptrata (Bertero ex Spreng.) DC.;