wilde-appelkoos
umNyazuma
umQokokolo
Small to medium evergreen tree, 2 – 13 m tall, single or multi-stemmed. Bark light grey-brown, rough and flaking on old trees. Young branches hairy with long straight spines up to 60 mm, making it suitable as a security hedge. Leaves glossy dark green, alternate, leathery. Flowers small, greenish-yellow, male and female on separate trees. Fruits bright orange, oval, velvety, 25 mm long, ripen Nov – May. Emits carrion-like smell at times.
Flowers attract insects, which attract birds; fruits eaten by birds and mammals; good bird attractor.
Small greenish-yellow flowers; bright orange edible fruits.
Nectar and fruit attract frugivorous and insectivorous birds
Collect ripe fruit, extract seeds, sow fresh in sandy soil; germination erratic but usually within 8 – 14 days
Difficult; mainly propagated by seed
Fruit edible (used for jelly); spiny branches used for security hedges; no livestock toxicity reported
