Common Name:

General Information

Ochna pulchra is a shrub or tree with widely spreading branches; it usually grows up to 8 metres tall but with specimens recorded up to 10.5 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food, oil and wood. A beautiful tree, though difficult to cultivate, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens[]. The stem of this beautiful tree is one of its most conspicuous features, with its greyish bark peeling off to reveal a smooth, yellowish or cream to milky white undersurface[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northern S. Africa.

Habitat

Open deciduous woodland or scrub; frequently on sand or rocky terrain; at elevations from 900 - 2,120 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	6.00 m
Pollinators	?Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The flowers are sweetly scented[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. It is said that the pulp of the fruit is edible, but that the seeds are poisonous[]. The unripe, green fruit are roasted[].
The ripe fruit is high in fat content. It is boiled in water and the fat skimmed off the surface. Although it has an unpleasant smell, it can be eaten[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The ripe fruit is high in fat content. It is boiled in water and the fat skimmed off the surface. This can then be used to polish iron. It is also suitable for the production of candles and soap, although the greenish brown oil is unpleasant-smelling[].

The wood is pale brown or light reddish, soft and grained with a curious papery feel when planed smooth. It is only used for small ornaments, for carving household items such as spoons and pipes, and formaking arrows[, ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a very short viability and needs to be sown as soon as it is harvested in soil collected from around the parent tree. The seeds are often parasitized and must be collected before they turn totally black[]. The seedlings need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible - they normally grow away quite quickly after transplanting[].

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