Mimusops caffra
| Mimusops caffra | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mimusops caffra[1] |
| Common name | coastal red milkwood[2] |
| Genus | Mimusops |
| Family | Sapotaceae[1] |
| Order | Ericales[2] |
| Growth form | Tree[3] |
| Native range | Coastal dune vegetation from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal to southern Mozambique[3] |
| Mature size | Up to 15–25 m in some settings; shorter on exposed dunes[3] |
| Fruit | About 15–20 mm long, ripening red or orange-red, with sweet starchy pulp and one seed[3] |
Mimusops caffra is a southern African coastal tree known as coastal red milkwood. It is associated with coastal dune vegetation and produces small red to orange-red fruit with sweet, starchy pulp.[1][3]
Description[edit | edit source]
Trees can reach 15–25 m in some settings, while exposed dune plants are shorter. The leaves are leathery, and the flowers are axillary and creamy-white.[3] The name Mimusops afra is associated with this species as a synonym in the supplied descriptive treatment.[3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
The species is associated with coastal dune vegetation. A reasonable habitat-based starting inference is a freely draining, sandy or sandy-leaning root zone rather than persistently waterlogged soil; this is an inference from the dune setting, not a measured species-specific substrate requirement.[3] In a container trial, prioritize drainage and monitor the root zone instead of applying a fixed irrigation schedule.
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
A reasonable habitat-based starting inference is bright light with good airflow, reflecting the exposed coastal setting. Protect young plants from abrupt drying while they establish, then adjust exposure to growth and water status rather than treating the species as a deep-forest plant.[3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Use local wet/dry or cool/warm conditions rather than a fixed calendar: maintain establishment moisture during active growth, then avoid prolonged saturation during cool or persistently wet weather. This is a conservative habitat-based trial approach, not a species-specific seasonal prescription.[3]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
The fruit is described as containing one seed, so seed propagation is the most directly supported starting route. Keep the provenance of each fruit lot with the seed, and treat germination rate and timing as trial values until they are verified for the species.[3]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The axillary creamy-white flowers are followed by fruits that ripen red or orange-red and are about 15–20 mm long.[3] In cultivation, the development of red or orange-red colour is a practical harvest cue rather than reliance on a fixed calendar date.
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The fruit has sweet, starchy pulp around a single seed. People and wildlife eat it.[3]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [3] Mimusops afra.