Live-long tree, Tree grape
Lannea discolor

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A small deciduous tree. It grows to 6 m tall but occasionally reaches 12 m. It has a rounded crown. The trunk is upright. The bark is grey-brown, smooth and thick. The twigs are sturdy, blunt and wrinkled. The leaves are compound with 3-6 pairs of leaflets and on at the end. The leaf is 11-33 cm long. The leaflets are almost round and with a pointed tip. The side leaflets have an unequal base. The leaflets are usually 2.5-6 cm long and 1.3-4 cm wide. They can be larger. The young leaves are soft, pink and furry. The adult leaves are green on the upper surface and grey underneath. Under the leaf is velvety and with easy to see midrib and veins. The leaves are on long furry stalks. The flowers are greenish-yellow and sweetly scented. They are produced when the tree is without leaves and are crowded on the ends of short branches. Sometimes male and female flowers occur on different trees. The fruit is smooth and round. It is 0.8-1.3 cm long and has short horns on top. The skin is purple-black when ripe. The fruit is edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It commonly occurs in open woodland on rocky hill slopes. It can be on termite mounds. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows between 850-1,660 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo DR, East Africa, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten and popular with children. The skin is peeled off. The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit, nuts

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. It can be used as a live hedge. It can be pruned and will grow back again. Cuttings strike easily.

Its other names

Local names

Babumba, Chiumbu, Chizhenje, Dikbas, Gomboro, Intokolovu, Isigaganja, Isiganatcha, Isiganganyane, Kabumbu, Kayimba, Mobeane, Mokgokgothwane, Molebatsi, Moyoani, Mubumbu, Mugan’acha, Muhumbukumbu, Mukukuma, Mumbumbu, Munie, Munii, Mupiri, Mupuri, Mupwanda, Mupwanela, Mushamba, Muvhumbu, Omundjimune, Shimupyani, Sidyatungu, Sikhanganyane, Singanganyane, Tintfoholoon, Tshivhumbu, Umpwanda, Umpwanele

Synonyms

Calesiam discolor (Sond.) Kuntze; Odina discolor Sond.; Tapirira discolor Marchand;