Common Name:

General Information

Halleria lucida is an evergreen, erect to straggling shrub or a small tree with a spreading crown. In more exposed situations it is generally a stocky or shrubby tree that reaches a height of just 2 - 5 metres, but in well watered, protected situations it can reach up to 12 metres tall, whilst in forests it can grow up to 20 metres[].
The plant is gathered from the wild, mainly for its edible fruit and medicinal uses. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Eastern and southern Africa - Ethiopia south to Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and S. Africa.

Habitat

Montane forests and slopes to river margins and gallery forests[]. Coastal and karroid scrub, deep evergreen forest, forest margins, forested ravines, rocky mountain slopes, near rivers and on stream banks in S. Africa[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A relatively hardy plant, tolerating occasional, short-lived lows to -7°c when mature, though young plants can be killed by frosts[].
Succeeds in full sun and in partial shade[]. A tough and easy plant to grow, thriving under many different conditions. Grows best in well-drained nutrient-rich loam with water provided all year round although it tolerates periods of drought[].
A fast growing plant, it can commence flowering in its second year of growth from seed[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The fully ripe fruit is extremely sweet, though slightly astringent[]. A sickly sweet taste that tends to dry the mouth[]. It gives an exotic look to a fruit salad[]. The fruit is a blackish-purple berry 12 - 18mm long and 8 - 14mm in diameter[].

The flowers are sucked for their sweet nectar[].

Medicinal

Dry leaves are soaked in water and squeezed into the ear to relieve earache[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is suitable for use as an informal hedge[].
One of the best bird attracting trees, drawing in nectar-feeding sunbirds when in flower and fruit-eating birds when in fruit[].

Other Uses

The wood can be used to start a fire by friction[].

The wood is light coloured tinged with yellow, hard, heavy, tough and strong. It is well suited to carpentry, but is not much used because it is seldom available in large enough sizes. It was once valued for wagon poles, tools and spear shafts[, ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a container or nursery seed bed. Trays can be placed over a bottom heat of 25°c although this is not essential for germination to occur. Seed should germinate within 6 weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted as soon as they are large enough to handle.

Softwood cuttings should be taken from actively growing shoots early in the growing season. Place in a propagator with intermittent mist and bottom heat of 28°c. Rooting should occur within 6 weeks, and the newly rooted cuttings require a weaning period of 1 month[].
Heeled cuttings should be taken at the end of the growing season. Place in a propagator with intermittent mist and bottom heat of 28°c. Rooting should occur within 6 weeks, and the newly rooted cuttings require a weaning period of 1 month[].

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