Christmas rose
Combretum racemosum

Family: Combretaceae

What it is like

A straggling shrub. It can be a woody creeper 15 m long.

There are about 255 Combretum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in mixed deciduous forest in West Africa. It can be in palm groves. In Nigeria it has been recorded between 850 and 1,360 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

The leaves are used in sauces and for flavouring.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, spice, stems- juice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cototura, Ohwirem, Topp, Usonsumbi

Synonyms

Combretum corymbosum Schumach.; Combretum leucophyllum G. Don; Combretum trigonoides Perr. ex DC.;