Muntingia calabura ( Jamaican Cherry)

Native from Mexico through tropical South America, this plant is a small tree with spreading, drooping branches arranged in tiers. Its flowers have five white petals and numerous yellow stamens. The round fruits usually ripen red and contain soft pulp filled with thousands of tiny seeds. Their sweet flavor resembles cotton candy, and they are eaten fresh or made into jams and tarts. The bark yields strong, soft fiber used for twine and ropes. Its fine-grained wood is used in carpentry and as fuel that burns quickly with little smoke. Photographed in Juan de Acosta, Colombia.