This native shrub or small tree is Inkberry, Randia aculeata. It is also known as White Indigoberry and belongs to the coffee family, Rubiaceae, along with gardenia and coffee. Its natural range extends from southern Florida and Mexico through the Caribbean and Central America into northern South America. It is recorded as a native tree of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is also traditionally known as the Crucian Christmas Tree.

Inkberry usually grows as a densely branched shrub or small tree rather than a large canopy tree. Its crown may be thin and irregular, with many nearly horizontal branches. In exposed or dry conditions, it often remains fairly compact.

The species name aculeata means prickly or armed. Short, sharp spines occur along the branches, often in opposite pairs. Those spines can become partly hidden among the leaves, so this is a plant to inspect without reaching carelessly into it.

The leaves are small, simple and arranged opposite one another. They are usually oval, glossy and somewhat leathery, features that help the plant withstand strong sunlight, wind and periods of drought.

The flowers are white, tubular and divided into several pointed lobes at the opening. They may look like small gardenia flowers, reflecting the plant’s membership in the coffee family. The blossoms can also be pleasantly fragrant, attracting moths, bees and other visiting insects.

After pollination, the plant produces rounded berries. These begin green and gradually ripen to deep blue, purple or almost black. The dark fruits explain both the names Inkberry and Indigoberry.

When a ripe fruit is opened, the pulp may produce a dark blue or purplish stain. The fruits are eaten by birds, which then help disperse the seeds into surrounding woodland.

Inkberry occurs naturally in coastal thickets, dry forest, limestone woodland and other warm tropical habitats. It is a slow-growing species; a long-term forest study on St. John found it among the slowest-growing trees measured in the Cinnamon Bay watershed.

Its dense, thorny branches provide shelter for small birds and other animals, while its flowers and fruits contribute food at different stages of the year.

Inkberry may not be as dramatic as a Royal Palm or Flamboyant Tree, but it rewards close observation. Its opposite leaves, paired spines, white flowers and blue-black berries provide a clear sequence of identifying features.

It is a good example of a modest native Caribbean plant whose real importance lies in the shelter and food it quietly provides for wildlife.