Wild myrtle, Black bush tea, Bush cherry
Eugenia capensis subsp. zeyheri

Family: Myrtaceae

What it is like

A small tree 4.5-11 m tall. It has many branches. The trunk can be 30 cm across. The bark is thin, grey and scaly. The leaves are in opposite pairs. They are 1.3-5 cm long and 0.6-1.3 cm wide. The leaves narrow towards both ends. The leaves are dark green and shiny on top and dull underneath. The midrib is slightly raised under the leaf and the side veins are not easy to see. The edge of the leaf rolls inwards slightly. The leaves when crushed give off a scent. The flowers are small and white. They occur on short slender stalks either singly or in groups. They are near the ends of branches. The fruit are small round and about 1 cm across. They have a small crown at the end. They are edible. There is one seed inside.

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

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. It grows in South Africa mostly near the coast. It is more common in light forest near streams.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Australia, South Africa (country/location of origin), Southern Africa

How it is used for food

The fruit is eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It is grown from seed.

Flowering in the southern hemisphere is December to May.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Myrtus zeyheri Harv.; Eugenia zeyheri (Harv.) Harv. ex Sond.;