Maurocenia frangula
| Hottentot's cherry (Maurocenia frangula) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific name | Maurocenia frangula |
| Genus | Maurocenia |
| Family | Celastraceae |
| Order | Celastrales |
| Common names | Hottentot's cherry; bittersweet-cherry |
| Native range | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Habitat | Coastal bush, ravines, rocky outcrops and dry slopes |
| Mature size | Shrub or small tree to about 3 m |
| Fruit | Cerise to purple berry-like fruit with one or two seeds |
| Flowering | Usually May–June |
| Propagation | Seed or semi-hardwood cuttings |
Maurocenia frangula is a slow-growing, long-lived shrub or small tree of the Western Cape in South Africa. It is accepted as the species name in current taxonomic backbones; Maurocenia frangularia and several other historical names are treated as synonyms or incorrect former usage.[1][2][3]
Description[edit | edit source]
The plant has leathery leaves and small white to dull-yellow flowers. The flowers are usually borne on separate male and female trees, although the taxonomic treatment of the genus highlights gynodioecy; sex expression should therefore be treated as variable rather than assumed from a nursery label.[4][1] The berry-like fruit changes from cerise to purple and contains one or two seeds.[4]
In the Western Cape it occurs in coastal bush, ravines, rocky outcrops and dry slopes on granite and sandstone. The species is endemic to South Africa's Western Cape, with recorded range in the Cape Peninsula, Vredenburg Peninsula and near Jonkershoek at Stellenbosch.[4][5]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Use well-drained sandy soil. The documented native settings include rocky outcrops and dry slopes on granite and sandstone, and the Kirstenbosch cultivation guidance specifically recommends well-drained sandy soil. Established plants are described as drought tolerant.[4]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun or semi-shade are both listed for cultivation.[4]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
Flowering is recorded from May to June in the Southern Hemisphere, and the plant is described as frost tolerant and drought tolerant once established.[4] In cultivation, spring sowing is recommended, or seed can be sown after cool, dry storage in the following autumn.[4]
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Seed is sown in spring or after cool, dry storage, and the fleshy fruit should be cleaned from the seed before sowing. Germination is described as taking about three weeks, and the species is reported to transplant well.[4] These timings are practical guidance rather than a guaranteed schedule under every temperature and moisture regime.
Semi-hardwood heel or tip cuttings are another documented route. Treat the cuttings with rooting hormone, place them in a well-drained medium, and keep them under mist or shade; rooting is reported to take about three to six months. Fungicide is suggested during propagation to reduce fungal disease risk.[4]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The small white to dull-yellow flowers usually appear from May to June. Because flowers are usually described as occurring on separate male and female trees, a fruiting plant should not be assumed to pollinate itself; the taxonomic treatment's gynodioecy terminology is a reason to verify sex expression and fruit set in the particular planting rather than applying a fixed rule.[4][1]
The fruit changes from cerise to purple as it matures and contains one or two seeds.[4] Color change is the documented harvest cue.
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
The berry-like fruit is described as edible, and the Kirstenbosch account records historical use by Khoisan people.[4] That limited food-use record is not a modern toxicity or food-safety assessment, so it should not be treated as a general safety clearance.
Container growing and pruning[edit | edit source]
The species is described as suitable for a large container and can be pruned or maintained as a hedge.[4]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [1] Archer, R. H. & Van Wyk, A. E. (1998), “A taxonomic revision of Maurocenia (Celastraceae), a Western Cape monotypic endemic,” Bothalia 28(1): 7–10.
Image credits[edit | edit source]
- Maurocenia frangula in Cape Town: Maurocenia - Hottentots Cherry Tree - Cape Town 2.JPG, Abu Shawka; public domain (PD-self).
