Woolly buckthorn
Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 18 m high. It is usually smaller in cultivation. It loses its leaves in cooler regions but stays evergreen in warmer places. It has a tall narrow crown. The bark is scaly and dark brown. The leaves are small and blunt tipped. They are shiny dark green on the upper surface and are densely woolly underneath. The flowers are 3 mm wide. They are bell shaped and have a 5-lobed white corolla. The fruit are purplish black. They are 12-25 mm long.

There are about 25 Bumelia species. The Bumelia may be merged with the Sideroxylon.

Where it is found

It is a temperate and subtropical plant. It grows in valleys and rocky slopes. It usually grows to 760 m altitude in SE of the USA. It suits hardiness zones 6-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Mexico, North America, Slovenia, USA

How it is used for food

The gum is chewed. The fruit can be eaten. The fruit are ground and mixed with water as a soft drink. CAUTION: If the fruit are eaten in a large quantities they can cause dizziness and stomach upsets.

Edible parts

Fruit, gum, sap

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chittamwood, Coma, False buckthorn, Gum bully, Gum Bumelia

Synonyms

Bumelia lanuginosa (Michx.) Pers.; Bumelia rigida Small; and others