Combretum hereroense
Schinz
Russet bush-willow, Mouse-eared combretum
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Troos van der Merwe
(c) Linda Loffler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Linda Loffler
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Troos van der Merwe
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Leaves - tea, Gum
The dried fruit are used as a tea substitute and can also be eaten fresh. The leaves are dried and used for tea. A gum from the plant is also edible. The seeds must be removed as they are considered poisonous.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It often grows in stony and shallow soils. It grows at medium to low altitudes in open wooded grassland. It can grow in salty soils. It can tolerate drought. It grows between 30-1,465 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A small tree. It can be up to 11 m tall, but is often 3-5 m tall. The trunk is often crooked and can be 23 cm across. The leaves can be oval or heart shaped. The leaves are 1.9-5 cm long by 1.3-2.5 cm wide. The are dark green and shiny above and yellow-green underneath. Often there are dense velvety hairs underneath. The flowers are small and white or greenish-yellow. They occur in long spikes. The fruit are 2.5 cm long by 1.9 cm wide. They have 4 wings. They are bright red.
How to Grow
Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds are best removed from the outer covering and soaked in water for a few hours. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted at the 3 leaf stage. It can be cut back and will re-grow.
Propagation: Seed - The seed of most, if not all, species can be stored inside the fruit for several years without losing viability.
Medicinal Uses
Dried leaves are used for tea, the gum is eaten, the wood is harvested for fuel, and the roots are used in traditional medicine.
Other Uses
The branches are used to make a musical instrument, a string instrument known as a Ilaihn. It is used primarily by traditional healers during healing ceremonies, and sometimes also by hunters.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Combretum hereroense, commonly known as the russet bushwillow and the mouse-eared combretum, is a deciduous shrub or small tree that is found from eastern Africa to northern South Africa. Over its extensive range it is variable with respect to leaf shape, fruit size and indumentum.
Production
It is slow growing. Seedlings can reach one metre in 18-24 months.
Notes
There are about 255 Combretum species.
Names & Synonyms
Fiti-tonga, Ithetshane, Kierieklapper, Livimbela, Macucumi, Mokabe, Mucandi, Murovamhuru, Mutechani, Mutumba, N'nari, Nacucuni, Naguegue, Naturua, Nkamouzoaye, Norupanari, Sihlalavane, Umdvubu, Umklalavane, Umphulumbu
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