Description
Mimusops Caffra tree description
Mimusops Caffra (Coast Red Milkwood) is a medium-size tree. It grows to a height of 50 feet or more. In nature, it grows on coastal sand dunes and often has many branches, some gnarled and twisted and an irregular crown. The bark is dark gray, thin, vertically wrinkled; young branches are hairy.
Furthermore, leaves are arranged spirally in tufts at branch ends, and are simple, entire, hard, leathery with rounded tips. Besides, leaves are blue green in color above and paler below, 1 to 3 by 1 by 1/2 to 2 inches; young leaves are light green. Also, flowers are borne in small bunches of up to 8 in the leaf axils and are creamy white, star-like, 3/8 – 3/4 inch in diameter. Fruits are small and showy, round to oval, 1/2 – 3/4 inch long, orange red when ripe, with a sweet pulp and a single shiny brown to black seed.
Red Milkwood fruits and cultivation
Furthermore, the fruits are edible, and food for birds and other animals. Propagation is by seeds and stem cuttings; and the bark is has multiple uses in traditional medicine. Wood is good for construction and boat building in southern Africa. Mimusops Caffra (Coast Red Milkwood) grows well in sandy, well-drained soils with adequate watering. This tree is not common in landscaping, despite its attractive foliage and showy fruit. It has applications in larger gardens and parks as an unusual specimen tree. In South Africa de wild populations is under protection.
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