Common Name: Water Berry

General Information

Water berry is a medium-sized, evergreen tree with a dense, spreading crown. Usually growing 6 - 15 metres tall, it can sometimes reach 20 metres and dwarf forms just 30 - 45 cm tall have also been reported[, ]. The bole is seldom straight, often gnarled and branching from low down, it can be up to 60cm in diameter and is sometimes buttressed[].
The edible fruit is gathered from the wild for local use. The plant is also sometimes grown for its fruit and is often grown as an ornamental, where it is valued for its white to pinkish, sweetly scented flowers[, , ].
The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

Pieces of the bark or powdered bark are used as a fish poison for catching small fish in small ponds; it turns the water bluish for up to 3 days[].

Botanical References

Range

Southern tropical Africa - Congo to Kenya, south to Angola, Mozambique and S. Africa.

Habitat

Common near fresh water or along fresh watercourses. It occurs in lowlands as well as medium to high latitude forests, along stream banks and in riverine thickets[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the subtropics and tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 25°c, but can tolerate 10 - 35°c[]. The tree is resistant to cold but not frost[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 750 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 600 - 1,500mm[].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soils[]. Plants can withstand extended periods of waterlogging[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[].
A fast-growing tree[]. Trees 270cm tall within 27 months from seed have been recorded in Malawi[].
Trees can be coppiced[].
The tree is believed to grow naturally where there is underground water[].
Plants are strongly fire resistant[].
The tree is seen as an indicator of areas suitable for sugarcane farming[].
A protected species in South Africa[, ].
Hybridizes freely with S. Guineense and S. Gerrardii where they occur together[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. A pleasant, acid flavour[]. A sweet flavour[]. The bitter-tasting fresh fruit is eaten raw, made into jams and jellies, or used to make an alcoholic drink[, , ]. A good quality jelly can be cooked from the ripe fruit[]. The fruit is an ovoid, fleshy berry, about 13 - 15 mm, containing a single, whitish seed[]. The fruit can be up to 25mm long[].

Medicinal

Various parts of the plant are often used in traditional medicine. Some studies have been carried out into its medicinal properties.
Methanol and water extracts of the bark have shown in-vitro antifungal activity against Candida albicans[].
Leaf extracts have shown in-vivo hypoglycaemic activity[].
The bark and wood contain proanthocyanidins, pentacyclic triterpenoids, steroidal triterpenoids, ellagic acid and gallic acid[].
The anti-diarrhoeal properties of the bark may be due to the presence of phenolic compounds[].

The roots and bark are boiled and the decoction is used as a remedy for coughs, indigestion and giddiness[, ].

The bark is emetic[]. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, stomach problems, headache, amenorrhoea, wounds and respiratory problems[]. Decoctions of the root bark and stem bark are taken for the treatment of malaria[].
A decoction of the roots is drunk as a treatment against amenorrhoea[].

The ash of the burnt wood is rubbed on the forehead to remedy headaches[].

Ground leaves, bark and roots are steeped in water and then applied externally as a poultice and galactagogue[].

The leaves are purgative. An infusion is used as a treatment for coughs, diarrhoea and stomach complaints[, ].

Agroforestry Uses:

With its ability to withstand extended periods of waterlogging, the plant can be used to stabilize river and stream banks[, ].
Makes an effective screen plant in a shrubbery[].
The flowers produce an abundance of nectar[, ].

Other Uses

A blue dye can be obtained from the bark[]. An orange or reddish brown dye is obtained from the bark[].
A purple dye is obtained from the fruit[, ].

The heartwood is light, reddish-brown to greyish wood; it is not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is usually straight, sometimes wavy or interlocked; the texture fine and even. The wood is medium hard, moderately heavy , moderately strong and durable, especially in water, and is said to be resistant to termites. It saws easily and works well with standard tools; pre-boring is necessary for nailing; nail-holding properties are good; moulding properties are good, and the wood planes to a smooth surface, taking a nice polish; it glues satisfactorily[, ]. It is used for good quality furniture, window frames, flooring, beams, rafters, railway ties, mortars, utensils etc[, ]. Being durable in water, it is especially suitable for boat building and is used to make jetties and slipways[, ].
Popular as a source of firewood and charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - pre-sowing treatment is not necessary[]. Fresh seeds are sown directly into black nursery bags filled with a mixture of river sand and compost (3:2)[]. Germination of fresh seed is very good and uniform, 90% after 25 days[, ]. All the flesh should be removed before seeds are dried in the shade[]. The seed should not be dried - it has a viability of only one day once dried removed from the fruit[].

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