Vitex trifolia

Native from eastern Africa through Asia to Australia and the Pacific, this evergreen shrub or small tree belongs to the mint family and grows about 10 to 26 feet tall. Its aromatic leaves usually have three leaflets with pale, hairy undersides. Clusters of purple tubular flowers are followed by small fruits that ripen black. It grows in coastal habitats on sand, coral rubble, or pumice gravel. It is invasive in central and southern Florida, where it spreads into coastal vegetation and disturbed areas. In Singapore, its wild populations are critically endangered. Photographed in Colombia.