Blue guarri, Blue-leaved euclea
Euclea crispa

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1-2 m high. It can be up to 8 m tall. The bark is grey and smooth. The leaves are sword shaped and 1.5-5 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The colour of the green can vary but leaves are paler underneath. The flowers are very small and green to yellow. There are 3-10 flowers in sprays in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a round berry the size of a pea. It is red but becomes black when ripe. The fruit is edible. There is one seed.

There are 12-15 Euclea species. Euclea are restricted to Africa, Arabia, Comoros and Socotra.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in open woodland among rocks and at the edge of forests. In Malawi it is mainly in scrub among rocks. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows between 1,100-2,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten. The leaves are also edible. They are considered an appetiser. CAUTION: The fruit are said to be strongly purgative.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

It is fairly slow growing.

Its other names

Local names

Bloughwarrie, Bosghwarrie, Guarri, Gwari-gwari, Idungamuzi, Inchitsamuti, Indodennyama, Indvodzemnyama, Iyeza-lokuxaxazisa, Madziyire, Mohlakolo, Mokgwelekgwele, Mokveretani, Motakola, Mothagola, Motlhakola, Motsetlele, Motsoetla, Mulala, Mulhangule, Musingaranguru, Mutangule, Mutangulenyele, Muvhinji, Myamatanemkhulu, Nhlangula, Sijele, Tshlangula, Umgwali, Umgwate, Umndlela, Umtjekezane

Synonyms

Euclea lanceolata E. Mey. ex DC.; Celastrus crispus Thunb.; Euclea ovata var. glabra A.DC.; Euclea ochrocarpa E. Mey. ex A. DC.; Euclea crispa (Thunb.) Guerke; Euclea guerkei Hiern.;