Eugenia axillaris, commonly known as White Stopper, is a dense evergreen shrub or small tree typically growing 6-20 feet (2-6 m) tall.

Growth Form

• Rounded, compact crown

• Often multi-stemmed

• Forms thick understory growth in coppice forests

Bark

• Smooth to slightly peeling

• Light gray to pale brown

• Fine-textured

Leaves

• Simple and opposite

• Oval to elliptic

• 1-3 inches long

• Thick and leathery

• Glossy dark green above

• Paler beneath

• Slightly aromatic when crushed (typical of the myrtle family)

• The leaves are small and tough: an adaptation to dry limestone environments.

Flowers

• Small and white

• Four petals

• Prominent tuft of white stamens

• Mildly fragrant

• Bloom singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils (where leaf meets stem)

• The species name axillaris refers to this axillary flower placement.

Fruit

• Small, round berry

• Ripens from green to orange or red

• Contains 1-2 seeds

• Edible and mildly sweet