Prunus myrtifolia

West Indian Cherry is a decorative, small shade or specimen tree, getting up to 25 feet high. Being a member of the rose family Rosaceae, which also includes such edible fruits as apples, strawberries, cherries, and more, the West Indian Cherry produces fruits guaranteed to bring birds into your garden.

	Profuse clusters of tiny white flowers with yellow centers appear from November-January. A delicately agreeable fragrance floats over the surrounding area. You breathe in the gentle sweetness. It triggers your happiness glands, brightening your mood. You pluck a leaf from the tree, crush it and inhale deeply the fruity smell, all part of the West Indian Cherry experience.

	Flowers are primarily perfect, with both staminate and pistilate parts, although some of the flowers at the base of the stem lack the central ovary structure, as may be seen in the photo at left. For this reason, the dual-form flowers of the West Indian Cherry are classified as andromonoecious.
Birds enjoy the fruits, which, unfortunately, cannot be eaten by humans. Not having a juicy luster, they are sufficiently unappetizing to avoid temptation. Grazing animals can become sick by eating the foliage, so be careful about planting these close to your barn or corral.



	West Indian Cherry is a component of hardwood hammocks throughout the Caribbean, with limited distribution in the pinelands of South Florida. The seeds were possibly left behind by a particular group of flocking vacationers, creating a food source for later visits.