Dog plum, Cape ash
Ekebergia capensis

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A tall tree. The leaves are densely clustered. The leaves have up to 6 pairs of leaflets. They are opposite with a leaflet at the end. The leaflets are broadly sword shaped. They narrow to the tip. They are 8 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The flowering shoots are in the axils of leaves. They are 12 cm long and branched. The flowers are greenish-white. The fruit is slightly fleshy and pink. They are round and 1 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry forest on well-drained soil. It grows in savannah woodland and along rivers. It grows between 600-3,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,670 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a mean annual rainfall of 750-2,000 mm. In the Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

The fruit are eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants are grown from fresh seeds. The seeds germinate in 4-9 weeks. Soaking the seeds then rubbing them improves germination. Seeds cannot be stored for long. It can be grown by cuttings.

It is fast growing.

Its other names

Local names

Aiceria, Inyamanti, Itoma, Kudekuda, Magwedia, Manenae, Marnenae, Messequine, Mudanhatsindi, Mutomana, Muvhuranyimo, Nhamare, Nhamauira, Nodope, Olooncho, Sheru, Somboo

Synonyms

Ekerbergia buchananii Harms; Ekerbergia meyeri C. Presl ex C. DC.; Ekebergia senegalensis A. Juss.; Ekebergia rueppelliana (Fresen.) A. Rich.; Ekebergia mildbraedii Harms;