Hoodia cactus
Hoodia currorii

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A spiny succulent shrub. It grows 1 m tall. The branching stems and erect or spreading. The stem is cylinder shaped and 4-8 cm across. They are grey-green. There are 11-24 ribs along the stems. Each one has a sharp spine 6-10 mm long. The flowers are in groups of 1-4 near the top of the stem. They are pale red outside and deep red inside the tubes. The fruit are a pair of long horn like dry fruit. Each one is 15-22 cm long. They contain 100-250 seeds. The seeds have a tuft of hairs. There are a couple of subspecies.

There are 13 Hoodia species. It is also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in deserts. In southern Africa it grows between 50-1,400 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It acts as an appetite suppressant and thirst quencher. Pieces of the stem are added to sugar water to make a refreshing drink. The stems have the skin and thorns removed and the stem are then eaten. They contain more water after rain. The flowers are sometimes eaten.

The flowers are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Stems, pods, fruit, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed. They can also be grown by cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Ghaap, Khobab

Synonyms

Hoodia lugardii N. E. Br.; Hoodia macrantha Dinter; Hoodia gibbosa Nel; Hoodia montana Nel.; Adenium namaquarium Hensl.; Scytanthus burkei Hook.;