African horseradish tree, cabbagetree

Medicinal Uses

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Fruit  Leaves  Oil  Seedpod | Edible Uses: OilYoung leaves - raw or cooked and eaten as a vegetable[301 , 317 ]. A larger leaf with a milder flavour than the leaves of M. Oleifera[301 ]. Traditionally, the leaflets are separated from the rachis and plunged into boiling water. Salt or sodium carbonate is added to the water. While the leaves are cooking, a mixture of flours is prepared, then kneaded and made into balls 2 - 5cm in diameter. These are tossed into the water as well and after about 10 minutes the balls and the leaves are ready to serve[299 ]. The addition of fat (grease or butter), small-sized cereal balls and a large amount of leaves are considered to make this dish a good-quality meal[299 ]. The young, soft fruits can also be added, but the slightly bitter taste restricts the use to periods when food is in short supply[299 ]. Flowers - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[418 ]. Seedpods - cooked[418 ]. This probably refers to the young seedpods, as mentioned above, which have a bitter flavour[K ].

Cultivation

Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop  Staple Crop: OilA plant of the arid to moist tropics, where it can be grown at elevations from 390 - 2,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 35°c, but can tolerate 15 - 48°c[418 ]. Plants can tolerate light frosts, even heavier frosts do not always kill the plant since it is able to resprout from the base[299 , 418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 1,500mm, but tolerates 200 - 2,800mm[418 ]. Grows best in a sunny position, but tolerates light shade[385 , 418 ]. Prefers a well-drained soil with a high groundwater table, but it can also withstand dry conditions well, and consequently it is found in both wetlands and dry areas[299 , 385 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 8, tolerating 5 - 9[418 ]. Plants are very drought tolerant, remaining green and continuing to grow even during exceptionally long dry seasons[418 ]. In experimental plantings in Sudan, plants reached a height of 3 metres within 14 months. The first flowers appeared 30 months after sowing.[299 ] The first leaves can be harvested after about 3 years[299 ]. Trees are pruned every 5 years during the rainy season[299 ]. The leaves are preferably left on the trees during the rainy season when other vegetables are in ample supply[299 ]. The leaves have a better taste in the dry season than during the rains[299 ]. Yield estimates are scarce. Annual production can reach 2,000 fruits or 6 kg of seed per tree under ideal conditions[299 ]. At elevations of over 1,650 m no fruits at all are harvested and leaf production is poor[299 ]. The taste of the leaves differs between trees and ranges from sweet to bitter[299 ].

Known Hazards

The glucosinolates in the leaves were found to cause goitre but to a lesser extent than expected on the basis of their concentration. However, in a diet poor in iodine it may be a contributing factor[299 ].

Habitats

Acacia tortilis woodland, riverine woodland of Hyphaene, Acacia, etc.; Acacia, Delonix, Commiphora associations, scrub and succulent steppe; usually on rocky ground by permanent water; at elevations from 390 - 1,200 metres[328 ].