This small tropical tree is the Black Pearl Tree, Majidea zanguebarica. It is also known as the Velvet Seed Tree or Mgambo Tree. It belongs to the soapberry family, Sapindaceae—the same family as lychee, longan and ackee—and is native to eastern tropical Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Madagascar.

The tree itself is attractive, with a rounded crown and glossy green compound leaves. Its flowers are small and greenish to reddish, so they are easy to overlook. The real spectacle comes after flowering, when the fruits begin to mature.

The fruits are three-part capsules. At first they are green, but as they mature they become reddish brown and split open. The inside of each capsule is a brilliant scarlet red, creating a dramatic background for the dark seeds.

Those seeds give the tree its common names. They are deep black and partly covered with fine, velvety hairs. From a distance they can look like polished black pearls resting against red velvet.

The contrast is so striking that the opened fruits are often collected for dried arrangements, crafts and decorative displays. They should be appreciated as ornamental seeds rather than assumed to be edible.

Black Pearl Tree grows naturally in seasonally dry tropical areas, so it is well adapted to warmth, bright sunlight and periods of limited rainfall. That also makes it suitable for many Caribbean gardens.

This is a wonderful example of a plant whose flowers are not its main attraction. The most memorable stage comes later, when the capsules open and reveal one of the most dramatic color combinations in the plant world: scarlet interiors and soft, jet-black seeds.