rougeplant, Rivina humilis

Rougeplant is a native shrub that grows to a couple of meters tall. It is sometimes cultivated for flowers, or maybe more for the fruit. The berries are bright red, or sometimes purple, orange or yellow. They are edible but not of much interest to our taste buds. Rougeplant has invaded the Pacific, and is cultivated for medicinal use in China. There shu zhu shan hu is used as an antiseptic, intestinal tonic, blood purifier, or tonic. We wish! Rougeplant may be seen in AR, AZ, FL, HI, LA, NM, OK, and TX, then south through the American tropics. Brevard Co FL, 1/27/13. Poke family, Phytolaccaceae.