Diospyros mespiliformis
| Jackalberry (Diospyros mespiliformis) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific name | Diospyros mespiliformis |
| Common names | jackalberry; West African ebony; African ebony |
| Genus | Diospyros |
| Family | Ebenaceae |
| Order | Ericales |
| Fruit type | Fleshy berry |
| Growth form | Evergreen tree |
| Native range | Tropical and eastern to southern Africa |
| Climate and site | Dry to moist tropics; deep moisture or seasonal water available |
| Mature size | About 15–50 m, varying with moisture and habitat |
| Propagation | Seed; root-segment cuttings |
| Fruit | Yellow to orange berry, up to about 3 cm across |
| Harvest | Ripe fruit commonly coincides with the dry season; regional timing varies |
Jackalberry (Diospyros mespiliformis; also West African ebony and African ebony) is an evergreen African tree in the family Ebenaceae. Its ripe fruit is a yellow to orange fleshy berry. The species is also valued locally for timber and other products.[1][2]
Description[edit | edit source]
The tree has a dense, rounded evergreen crown and may be 15–50 m tall, although trees in drier sites are often much smaller than those in wetter habitats. Leaves are alternate, glossy, and leathery. The flowers are cream to white and fragrant; male flowers are clustered while female flowers are solitary. The fleshy berries are usually globose, up to about 3 cm across, yellowish to orange-yellow when ripe, and surrounded by a persistent, enlarged calyx.[2][3][4]
Distribution and habitat[edit | edit source]
Diospyros mespiliformis occurs across tropical and eastern to southern Africa, including areas from Ethiopia southward to Eswatini. It grows in woodland and savanna, along riverbanks and seasonal watercourses, in swamps, and on termite mounds. Permanent or dependable subsurface moisture supports natural regeneration, while the species also occurs in drier open woodland.[2][3][4]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Jackalberry is suited to the dry to moist tropics. The species accounts place it in sunny sites with adequate water and little or no frost. Natural performance varies with habitat: trees occur in drier woodland as well as beside seasonal watercourses, swamps, and other sites with dependable moisture.[2][3]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Use a deep soil that holds moisture while draining freely. Recorded settings include moist red loams, loamy sands, volcanic soils, rocky ground beside seasonal watercourses, swamps, and termite mounds. A mildly acid soil around pH 5.5–6.5 is reported. Supplemental irrigation is most useful while a young tree establishes and through a dry season when the planting site lacks dependable subsoil moisture.[2][3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Species accounts place jackalberry in a sunny position and describe it from open woodland and savanna as well as wetter riverine settings. Give an establishing tree strong light and enough water to prevent prolonged drought stress; the site should have enough room for the large crown.[2][3][4]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Flowering follows the rainy season, while fruit ripening commonly coincides with the dry season about six to eight months after pollination. In southern Africa, flowering is reported around October and November and fruiting from April through September. Maintain moisture through the rainy-season growth flush and do not allow young trees to dry severely as the dry season advances; local timing varies across the species' broad range.[2][3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Fresh seed and root-segment cuttings are documented propagation methods. A 2022 Benin propagation experiment reported the strongest seed emergence, about 69.9–86.67%, when seed from woodland, savanna, or parkland sources was sown in compost or clay after boiling-water treatment or removal of the seed coat; untreated seed in sandy or inundated-forest conditions performed less well. The same experiment reported leafy shoots from root cuttings, with results varying by substrate and cutting source.[5]
The species has a taproot and is reported to be sensitive to transplanting. Seed is described as orthodox, so freshly collected seed should be handled promptly and stored under suitable dry-seed conditions when immediate sowing is not possible. Root suckers and coppice are also reported as vegetative options, although their performance is not quantified here.[2][3]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The species is dioecious, with bee pollination reported. Fruiting therefore depends on a female tree receiving pollen; a planting intended for fruit should include a compatible pollen source or be established near a fruiting male and female population.[2] Ripe fruit is yellow to orange and develops during the dry-season period in the southern African schedule described above. Regional flowering and harvest timing should be expected to vary with rainfall pattern and site moisture.[2][3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
Ripe berries are eaten locally, including fresh or dried preparations. The fruit is the relevant food crop here; timber, medicinal, and other traditional uses are separate from fruit quality or orchard performance. Fruit gathered from wild or semi-managed trees may vary with site and season.[2][3]
Photos[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] GBIF species match: Diospyros mespiliformis. Exact accepted match; family, order, and genus.
- ↑ [2] Useful Tropical Plants: Diospyros mespiliformis. Habit, range, habitat, cultivation, phenology, propagation, fruit, and uses.
- ↑ [3] World Agroforestry: Diospyros mespiliformis. Botanical description, ecology, climate, soil, flowering, fruiting, and distribution.
- ↑ [4] PlantZAfrica, South African National Biodiversity Institute: Diospyros mespiliformis. Description, savanna and woodland habitat, fruit, and propagation.
- ↑ [5] Gnonlonfin, L.; Ouinsavi, C.; Gouwakinnou, G.; Biaou, H. “Propagation and growth from seeds and root segment cuttings of fruit tree-plus Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae) in Benin West Africa.” FAO, 2022. Seed and root-cutting propagation experiment.
