Dune myrtle, Myrtle apple
Eugenia capensis

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A low shrub. It can grow to 7 m tall. It is evergreen and with many branches. The bark is grey or brown. The leaves and small and leathery. The twigs are short, flattened and angled. The leaves are thick and oval and mostly opposite each other along the twigs. They are 1.3-3.8 cm long. The edges of the leaves are thickened and rolled inwards. The edges are smooth. The midrib and veins are easy to see underneath the leaf. The leaves and shoots have dense whitish hairs. The leaves have short leaf stalks. The flowers are small and white. The flowers occur either in the angles where leaves join or on old wood. The fruit is about 0.8 cm long and slightly oval. The ends of the flower remain to form a crown like section on the fruit. The fruit are dark blue to black. They have a large stone. The fruit are edible. There are several subspecies.

There are about 550 Eugenia species. They are mostly in tropical and subtropical South America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits warm sandy areas. It occurs in South Africa on dunes. It can be associated with mangrove swamps. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flesh around the fruit is eaten occasionally.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Inhlele, Mkaaga, Tshitawatawane, Ukelenkele

Synonyms

Memecylon capense Eckl. & Zeyh.; Myrtus capensis (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Harv.;