Sclerocarya birrea
| Habit | tree
| |
|---|---|---|
| Height: | ⇕ | 30 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 30. |
| Width: | ⇔ | 20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20. |
| Lifespan: | ⌛ | perennial |
| Bloom: | ❀ | early spring, mid spring, late spring, early winter, mid winter, late winter |
| Exposure: | ☼ | sun |
|---|---|---|
| Features: | ✓ | deciduous, edible |
| USDA Zones: | 10 to 12 |
|
birrea > |
The Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) is a medium-sized dioecious tree, indigenous to Southern and West Africa. The tree is a single stemmed tree with a wide spreading crown. It is characterised by a grey mottled bark. The tree grows up to 18m tall mostly in low altitudes and open woodlands. The fruits are used in the liqueur Amarula.
When ripe, the fruits have a light yellow skin, with white flesh, rich in vitamin C - about 8 times the amount found in an orange - are succulent, tart with a strong and distinctive flavour.[1] Inside is a walnut-sized, thick-walled stone. These stones, when dry, expose the seeds by shedding 2 (sometimes 3) small circular plugs at one end. The seeds have a delicate nutty flavour and are much sought after, especially by small rodents who know to gnaw exactly where the plugs are located.
Cultivation
Propagation
Pests and diseases
Varieties
Gallery
Green Marula fruits
Marula seeds
Marula trunk
References
- ↑ Wickens, G. E.; Food and Agriculture Organization (1995). "Potential Edible Nuts". Edible Nuts. Non-Wood Forest Products. 5. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. ISBN 92-5-103748-5. OCLC 34529770. http://www.fao.org/docrep/V8929E/v8929e06.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
External links
- w:Sclerocarya birrea. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Sclerocarya birrea QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)