South African Cherry, Indaba tree, Sand apple
Pappea capensis

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 3-9 m high. It grows taller in moist regions and is smaller in arid places. The leaves are towards the ends of twigs. The leaves are stiff, rough and simple. They can be 2.5-4 cm long and 8 mm wide in arid places and 3 times that size in most places. The base can be rounded or heart-shaped. The edges are often wavy. There are 10-12 pairs of side veins. The leaves are usually green above and paler below. The flowers are small and greenish-yellow. The male flowers are in a branched panicle and the female flowers in strings. The fruit have 3 parts 0.8-1.9 cm across. It has a hard brittle shell. It is brown and splits to show bright red flesh which lets light through. There is a brown shiny stone inside. The fruit is edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical and subtropical places. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. It suits moister places. It is often in open woodland and along rivers. It grows among rocks. Established trees can tolerate frost and drought. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 50-890 mm. It can grow in weakly salty soils. It grows between 30-2,400 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It also grows on termite mounds.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. They can also be made into drinks and jellies. They can be dried. The fruit can be used to make vinegar or used for beer. The seeds are the source of an edible oil. The inner bark is dried and grated to make a tea.

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, bark - tea, leaves, seeds - oil

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seeds. Seeds can be collected from fruit on the tree and the flesh is removed. Seeds sown in warm weather can germinate in 2 weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted at the 4 leaf stage. Trees can be cut back and allowed to re-grow.

Seedlings grow slowly but more quickly later.

Its other names

Local names

Biiqqaa, Biqa, Bushveld cherry, Defi, Doppruim, Eceparake, Ilitshe, Imimena, Ingqalutshe, Indaba tree, Jacket plum, Kiva, Kyuua, Liatsa, Mba, Mboboyo, Molalakgaka, Mopenengwe, Mopennengwa, Moroba-diepe, Morodolodi, Mothatha, Mtundawe, Muhungulu, Mukhomanhudo, Muno we muchenya, Mupusyu, Murodolo, Muvundambado, Mwimafiguru, Oltimigomi, Omangi, Tshikavhavhe, Umgqongqongo, Umgqogpo, Umkhokhwane, Umtshulantshula, Umumena, Uzagogwane, Wild plum, Zikwakwashu

Synonyms

Sapindus capensis (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Hochst.; Sapindus pappea Sond.; Pappea radlkoferi Schweinf. ex Radlk.; Pappea ugandensis Bak.f.; Pappea fulva Conrath; Pappea capensis Eckl. & Zeyh. var. radlkoferi (Schweinf. ex Radlk.) Schinz; Pappea radlkoferi var. angolensis Schleht.; Pappea schumanniana Schinz;