Bush grape, Black plum
Vitex acuminata
Family: Lamiaceae
What it is like
A moderate sized tree. It grows 7-15 m high. It can be 23 m tall. It loses many leaves during the year. It has a spreading habit. The leaves are opposite and have 3 leaflets. The central leaflet is the longest. The leaflet blades are 5-15.5 cm long by 2-5.5 cm wide. They are green and the veins are distinct. The stalk has fine hairs and is 2-10 cm long. The flowers are blue with a cream throat. They are like tubes and 0.8-1 cm long. Several flowers occur together in groups 8-15 cm long by 8-10 cm wide. They are either at the ends of branches of in the upper leaf axils. The fruit is smooth and round. It is fleshy. The fruit is 0.5-1 cm long by 0.4-0.8 cm wide. The fruit turn purple black when ripe. There are 4 seeds inside a woody shell.
There are 250 Vitex species. They grow in the tropics. Also put in the family Verbenaceae.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows naturally in monsoon vine forests in coastal regions. It needs well-drained soil. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 550 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
The ripe fruit are eaten. They can burn the throat.
It is a highly regarded food.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
Anbalindja, Wurnika