Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Ximenia caffra - Sour Plum

Edible portions: Fruit

A shrub or small tree It grows to 8 m tall. It has many spines. Young stems can be very hairy. The bark is grey or brown. It is smooth at first but then becomes rough and cracked along its length. The young twigs are covered with fine red hairs. The leaves are simple and alternate. They vary in shape. They are 2.5-6 cm long and 2 cm wide. They are densely hairy at first. They become shiny green and smooth with age. The leaves narrow to the base and are on short leaf stalks. The lower leaf surface is more pale than the upper surface. The leaves tend to fold inwards. The flowers develop as long green buds in the axils of the leaves. These open to 4 petalled green, hairy flowers. The flowers are either on their own or in a bunch from the same point. They are small and white. They have a sweet scent and are 1.3 cm long. The fruit are oval and 2.5-3 cm long. They are greenish when young and become bright red when ripe. They are edible. The contain one woody seed. (The large leaves, fewer spines, more solitary flowers and red fruit help distinguish this plant from the variety americana.)

A tropical plant. It grows on rocky woodlands from 5 m to 2,000 m above sea level. It suits dry areas. It can tolerate drought. It can grow in arid places.