Ong'ono, Apana
Capparis erythrocarpus
Family: Capparaceae
What it is like
An evergreen scrambling shrub. It grows 3 m of more high. The stems are dark green. They have small hooked thorns. The leaves are oval and 8 cm long. They are glossy and dark green. They taper to the tip. The flower petals are light green. The stamens are white but red at the base. The fruit are narrowly oval and red. They are 5 cm long by 3 cm wide. They are ribbed.
There are about 250 Capparis species. There are about 50 Capparis species in tropical America.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in forest, savannah and along the edges of rivers. It can be on the edge of mangroves. It needs an average, well-drained soil. It needs full sun. In Ethiopia it grows between 500-1,670 m above sea level. It suits plant hardiness zones 10-12.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial-Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten especially by children.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Binherre, Bre-rem-mela-n'sata, Fertenin, Hamaghamoti, Narara. Neum, Nheieu, Omono, Ongonongono, Simbus