• Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Scaevola plumieri

beachberry, inkberry, gullfeed

Nomenclature

Common Name:

beachberry, inkberry, gullfeed

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Scaevola plumieri

Family:

Goodeniaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

4-6 ft tall by 4-8 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

black

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

If present in the landscape, retain. Use as a shrub in coastal areas where it can make a nice screen, form a hedge, or be a foundation plant. Also appropriate for dune stabilization.

Considerations:

Text

Availability:

Text

Propagation:

Text

Light:

Text

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â–¡â–¡â–¡

Not wet but not extremely dry -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Calcareous (high pH)

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Birds

Bees are believed to be the primary pollinators.  Also attracts wasps, moths, and ants.

Fruits attract birds.

Native Habitats:

Coastal sites.

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This is a rare plant. Please acquire from a reputable nursery. It is close kin to an invasive exotic (S. frutescens)from Australia -- be sure you are planting the native.