Sea Grape, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Sea grape is a Florida native that handles salt spray, sandy soil and wind better than most shrubs or small trees you can plant in SW Florida. It grows into a wide, big-leafed privacy screen or a shade tree for canal, gulf and beach-side yards. We deliver and plant it in 3, 15 and 25 gallon sizes, so you can match the size to how fast you want the screen.
- Light:
- Full sun; part shade slows growth
- Water:
- Low once established; regular water for the first year
- Salt:
- Very high; takes direct salt spray and sandy coastal soil
Sea Grape sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Sea Grape | 3 Gallon, 15 Gallon, 25 Gallon |
Sea Grape in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 10 to 25 ft tall and as wide when left alone; easily held at 6 to 10 ft as a hedge
- Light
- Full sun; part shade slows growth
- Water
- Low once established; regular water for the first year
- Salt tolerance
- Very high; takes direct salt spray and sandy coastal soil
- Cold tolerance
- Leaves burn in a frost and young plants can freeze back; established plants usually resprout, and coastal Lee and Collier are rarely affected
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 5 to 8 ft on center for a hedge; 15 ft or more for a free-form tree
- Florida native
- Yes, native to Florida's coasts
- Botanical name
- Coccoloba uvifera
Where Sea Grape works in a SW Florida yard
Sea grape fits best where you have room. Planted 6 to 8 feet apart and pruned regularly, it forms a dense privacy hedge that tolerates canal-edge salt and gulf wind. Left alone, it grows into a wide, multi-trunk tree with big, round, leathery leaves.
Keep it 10 to 15 feet from the house, pool and drain lines. Native companions include cocoplum, sabal palm, coontie and muhly grass, which handle the same sandy, coastal conditions.
- Coastal privacy hedge
- Salt-spray and wind barrier
- Native shade tree
- Dune and waterfront plantings
How our crew plants it
Dig the hole two to three times as wide as the root ball and no deeper, and set the root flare at or just above grade. Backfill with native sand, since sea grape needs no soil amendments. We water in well and mulch 3 inches deep, pulled back from the stems.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings, so water every day or two for the first few weeks, then taper. Stake 15 and 25 gallon plants only on windy sites, and take the ties off within a year.
Care after planting
- Prune a hedge two or three times a year to keep it dense and the leaves a manageable size, because unpruned plants get open and leggy at the base.
- Water new plants through the first dry season, then leave them alone, since established sea grape lives on rain.
- Skip fertilizer at planting and feed lightly in spring, if at all, because heavy feeding only pushes lanky growth.
- Rake up the fruit in late summer if the plant is near a patio, drive or pool deck.
What to watch for
- Female plants drop purple, grape-like fruit in late summer that stains pavers and pool decks, so keep it clear of hardscape you care about.
- It gets big and wide, and a hedge needs regular trimming to stay in bounds, so plan for the space and the upkeep.
Sea Grape questions we hear
Is sea grape good for privacy in Cape Coral?+
Yes. It is an evergreen with large, dense leaves, and it takes salt, wind and sandy soil. Planted 5 to 8 feet apart and pruned regularly, it makes a thick screen on canal and waterfront lots. Give it full sun and plan for regular trimming to keep it in bounds.
How fast does sea grape grow?+
At a moderate pace. It adds steady growth through the warm season and slows in winter. Larger 15 and 25 gallon plants screen sooner than 3 gallon plants, and tipping the new growth encourages a denser hedge. Shade and dry sites slow it down.
Will sea grape survive salt spray and hurricane winds?+
Salt spray, yes. It is one of the toughest plants for it. It is also wind resistant, and storms usually strip leaves and break limbs rather than kill the plant. A mature sea grape may look rough after a major hurricane but typically regrows.
How far apart should I plant a sea grape hedge?+
Plant 5 to 8 feet apart on center. Closer spacing makes a faster screen, and wider spacing lets each plant grow bigger. Keep the row at least 3 feet off a fence or wall so you can prune both sides, and stagger two rows for a thicker screen.
Are sea grapes edible, and do they make a mess?+
The fruit is edible and makes good jelly, but it ripens in late summer and the dropped fruit stains pavers and draws birds. Only female plants bear fruit, and you can't tell the sex of a young plant in a pot. Keep it away from patios, drives and pool decks if you don't want to sweep.
How much does it cost to plant a sea grape hedge?+
Price depends on the plant size, the length of the hedge and how easy the site is to reach. Text us a photo and the length of the run, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Sea Grape
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.