Simpson's Stopper (Myrcianthes fragrans): Native Florida Treasure for Wildlife

Simpson's stopper, also called twinberry, is a versatile evergreen shrub or small tree native to Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America. It offers fragrant white flowers, edible orange-red berries, attractive peeling bark, and high wildlife value—all in a tidy, adaptable package.

Botanical Profile

• Family: Myrtaceae (myrtle family)
• Genus: Myrcianthes
• Species: fragrans

Features

Grows 10–20 feet tall (can be kept smaller). Leaves are opposite, elliptical, glossy green, aromatic when crushed. Flowers are white, fluffy, sweetly fragrant, blooming spring through summer. Fruit is a paired, orange-red berry (twinberry), edible and attractive to birds. Bark exfoliates in thin strips, revealing smooth, mottled gray and brown.

Culture

Full sun to shade, adaptable to various soils (including alkaline and coastal), drought-tolerant once established. Hardy in USDA zones 9b–11. Responds well to pruning; can be hedged, topiaried, or trained as a small tree.

Uses

Native plant garden, wildlife habitat, hedge, screen, specimen, coastal landscape. Low maintenance and high ecological value.