Sapphire Berry

A shrub with uniquely-shaded fruit that can be considered “blurple,” the Symplocos paniculata, or Sapphire berry, has many facets to its functionality. The fruit itself is not only ornamental, but it’s also edible. If you want a delicious treat, just cook the fruit and transform it into jam, jelly, or sauce. As for the rest of the plant, the bark itself can be used medicinally, ranging from reducing muscular swelling to increasing gum firmness. The flowers are also pretty interesting: besides giving off a lovely scent, they’re also hermaphroditic, meaning they have both male and female organs.

sapphire berry

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