Neea psychotrioides (Neea)

Botanical name: Neea psychotrioides

Common names: Neea, Saltwood, Pigeon Plum, Hoja de Salat

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Origin: Central America, Mexico

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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Rare in cultivation, this small tree or bush should get more attention from tropical plant collectors.

The plant is very nice, easy growing and make those "jelly beans" like berries at least twice/year. The flowers are almost unnoticeable. The berries are very showy and come right after. It fruits for several months non stop. Mature fruit is edible.

In native countries, this plant is widely used medicinally. From book "Messages from the Gods. A Guide to the useful plants of Belize": "To treat fever in an infant, fresh leaf is used as a bath or rubbed over the body... To treat babies who can not sleep, often accompanied with crying, especially when they have been frightened by chickens, leaves are mashed, fried and rubbed all over the body..."

Very useful plant especially for those who are afraid of chickens!

It looks sort like an Ardisia, but it not even related.