Common name: Birdplum

Birdplum is a fruiting tree native to dry parts of Eastern Africa, its natural range extending from Sudan, south to South Africa.

It is a small deciduous tree, typically 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall, though under ideal conditions may reach heights of up to 20 m (65 ft), or under challenging conditions only develops into a shrub. The trunk is usually straight and supports a densely branched rounded crown. The bark is grey, smooth, with age becoming dark and flaking.

The leaves are oval, 2 to 9 cm (0.8 to 3.5 in) long, glossy green on top and pale green underneath. They fall from the tree in the dry season to conserve water and are replaced by new leaves in the rainy season.

The flowers are small and inconspicuous, yellow-green and bloom after the first rains following the dry season. They are borne singly or in small clusters arising from the leaf axils and are followed by small, fleshy egg-shaped fruit 0.5 to 2 cm (0.2 to 0.8 in) long. Bluish-green when young, the fruit ripen to orange about four to five months after fruit-set and have yellow pulp surrounding a single kernel with two seed.

Use

The ripe fruit pulp is edible and sweet, with a flavour and texture said to remind of dates (Phoenix dactylifera). It is mostly eaten fresh out-of-hand, but can also be made into a refreshing drink or naturally fermented to make an alcoholic beverage. 

The wood is hard and heavy, reportedly one of the hardest in Africa, close-grained and an attractive golden- to yellow-brown. It is used for making durable articles such as tool handles and pestles, and is an excellent firewood.

Health use

The fruit pulp is high in sugars (about 30%) and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Climate

Grows naturally in sub-humid subtropical and tropical climates, generally frost-free areas with annual lows of 11 to 25°C, annual highs of 23 to 36°C, annual rainfall of 300 to 1300 mm and a dry season of 4 to 9 months.

Growing

New plants are usually raised from seed or root-suckers. The seed have a hard coat that needs to be scarified or cracked before being sown to improve germination.

Performs best on free-draining clay, loam and sand soils of a moderately acid to slightly alkaline nature, generally with a pH of 5 to 7.5, and on sites with full to partial sun exposure. It has good tolerance to drought conditions.

Problem features

There does not appear to be any record of it anywhere as a weed or invasive species.

Books

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 1983, Food and Fruit-bearing Forest Species, 1 : Examples from Eastern Africa, FAO Forestry Paper no. 44/1, Rome

• Janick, J., & Paull, R. E. 2008, The encyclopedia of fruit & nuts, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, Oxfordshire

• Martin, F. M., et al. 1987, Perennial edible fruits of the tropics : an inventory, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, D.C.

• Tredgold, M. H. 1986, Food plants of Zimbabwe : with old and new ways of preparation, Mambo Press, Gweru, Zimbabwe