Bladder nut
Diospyros whyteana

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A small evergreen tree. It grows up to 12 m high. It can have one or several stems. The crown is rounded and shiny green. The bark is smooth and dark grey. The young twigs are yellow-green and have fine hairs. The leaves are alternate and in 2 ranks. They are simple and narrowly oval. They are very shiny dark green. Some leaves can be orange or red. The leaves are pale green underneath. The flowers are pale pink or white. They are in short racemes in the axils of leaves. Male and female flowers are on different plants. The fruit are almost hollow. They are a round berry. They have 4 or 5 lobes. The fruit are red to purple when ripe.

There are about 485 species of Diospyros mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. Young plants need frost protection. It is tolerant to drought once established. In Wittunga Botanical Gardens Adelaide. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. Melbourne Botanical gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten. They have little flavour. The seeds are used as a coffee substitute.

The fruit don't have much flavour.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds - coffee

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds are collected from fruit of the tree and dried in the shade. The seeds should be soaked in hot water and allowed to stand overnight.

It is fairly fast growing.

Its other names

Local names

Nyapahuro, Nyatsipa, Santinyana, Silevusembuti

Synonyms

Royena goetzei Gurke; Royena lucida L.; Royena lucida var. whyteana De Winter & Brenan; Royena nyassae Gurke; Royena whyteana Hiern; Royena wilmsii Gurke;