Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Berchemia discolor - Bird Plum

Edible parts:  Fruit, Gum, Leaves

A tree. It grows 12-18 m tall. It usually loses its leaves during the year. The branches are spreading. The crown is dense and round. The leaves are simple and nearly opposite. They are dark green above and paler underneath. They are 2.5-10 cm long and 8 cm wide. They are oval with pointed tips. The flowers are in small stalked clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit are like small pointed plums. They are about 2 cm long. They are yellow or red. They have a sweet yellow pulp and a kernel with 2 seeds. The fruit are edible.

A tropical plant. It grows in dry forest. It grows at low altitude in South Africa. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 1,600 m altitude. It is damaged by frost or cold winds. It is drought resistant. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 300-635 mm. It can grow in arid places. It is often on termite mounds. It grows in the lowlands and along rivers. It grows in Miombo woodlands.