Naras. Butterpips
Acanthosicyos horridus

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

Acanthosicyos horridus is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 1

Where it is found

Sandy dunes of mostly dry river beds where subsurface water is available..

Tropical Africa - Namib Desert from southern Angola to S. Africa.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, USA.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw, cooked or preserved. Juicy, with a pleasant, sweet-acid flavour. The fruit is up to 7cm long and weighs up to 900g. Ripe fruits are collected and either buried in the soil or left in the sun for softening, after which they are peeled and then boiled until the seeds become loose. The pulp is allowed to thicken and turns into a dark orange colour. After separating the seeds, the thick remaining pulp is poured out and allowed to dry in the sun. It solidifies in a few days, forming flat leathery cakes, which are then cut into strips or rolled up for storage. These fruity rolls have good keeping quality and can be chewed or added to porridge for the remainder of the year. Seed - raw or cooked. Eaten roasted or boiled, they can also be stored for later use. They can be ground into flour for cooking with other dishes. They are a good substitute for almonds, and have been exported to bakeries in Cape Town for use in confectionery. The kernel has a soft consistency like butter. The seeds contain about 45% oil. The seed is up to 15mm long. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The bitter roots have medicinal value. Either chewed or made into a decoction, they are used to treat nausea, stomach-ache, venereal diseases, kidney problems, arteriosclerosis and chest pains. The fresh fruit is said to relieve stomach pains. The crushed root mixed with fat is used to heal wounds. Oil from the raw or boiled seeds is used as a skin moisturizer and to protect the skin from sunburn.

Other

Rating: 2

Plants can be grown in shifting sand dunes. Other Uses None known

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

A plant of lowland areas in the very arid tropical deserts of southern Africa, where it is able to survive even in years when there is no rain. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 30c, but can tolerate 10 - 40c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 125 - 250mm, but tolerates 75 - 450mm. Plants require a well-drained sandy soil on the poor side and a position in full sun. They can succeed in dry, saline soils, often growing where underground water is available. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5. The leaves have been modified into thorns, which acts to give protection against grazing animals and also to minimize water-loss, making the plant very drought tolerant. A deep-rooting plant, the roots can go down 40 metres into the soil in search of water. A dioecious species, male and female plants must be grown if fruits and seed are required.

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 9-11

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Inara, Mnara, Naia, Nara, Naras, Narram, Narra melon.

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.