Maclura africana
| African osage-orange (Maclura africana) | |
|---|---|
| Common names | African osage-orange; thorny mulberry; Afrikasoetlemoen |
| Scientific name | Maclura africana |
| Genus | Maclura |
| Family | Moraceae |
| Order | Rosales |
Maclura africana is an accepted Moraceae species in the genus Maclura.[1] The genus is placed in the order Rosales.[2] It is an evergreen, spiny, scrambling shrub or small tree, and is associated with hot, arid low-altitude forest, bushveld, riverine thicket and coastal dune forest in southern and eastern Africa.[3]
Description[edit | edit source]
Plants are described as about 4–5 m tall, with latex and leathery leaves. The flowers are borne on separate male and female plants, so fruit production requires attention to sex expression and pollen availability.[3]
The recorded range and habitat include northern South Africa and areas farther east in Africa, with the species occurring in forest, bushveld, riverine thicket and coastal dune settings.[3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The habitat range spans hot, arid sites as well as riverine thicket and coastal dune forest. As a habitat-based starting point, use a warm, free-draining medium and adjust irrigation to the planting site's drainage rather than treating any one habitat as a universal moisture requirement. This is a starting inference, not a measured irrigation schedule for every planting.[3]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
The native settings are warm, low-altitude habitats. High humidity is specified for rooting semi-hardwood cuttings; that propagation condition should not be treated as a blanket humidity requirement for established plants.[3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
In the southern African seasonal context of the species account, flowering occurs from February to May and the fruits are edible from August to November. Use these months as a regional phenology reference; flowering and harvest timing can shift with locality and climate.[3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Propagation options listed for Maclura africana are stem cuttings, air-layering, root cuttings and seed. For semi-hardwood stem cuttings, the listed procedure uses rooting hormone and high humidity. Dormant cuttings may be refrigerated at 3–5 °C for six weeks; root sections about 7–9 cm long are placed horizontally under about 3 cm of potting soil. Cleaned seed is refrigerated in moist peat for 2–3 months before sowing.[3]
These are practical propagation procedures provided in an institutional horticultural account, not guaranteed success rates. Keep the cutting and seed treatments distinct: the refrigerated dormant-cutting treatment is separate from the longer moist-peat pre-sowing treatment for seed.[3]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
Flowers occur in spherical heads from February to May, and male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. A fruiting collection should therefore account for both sexes and the movement of pollen between them; no fixed planting ratio is assumed here.[3]
Fruits are about 18 mm across and finely hairy. They are described as somewhat sweet, mushy or gooey, with a lingering flavour, and as edible from August to November in the account's regional calendar.[3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fruit has a documented human-eating use and a soft, sticky texture with a lingering flavour. The edible-use description is not a general toxicological or food-safety guarantee; use the fruit only where its identity and local food-use practice are clear.[3]