Blue sourplum

Blue sourplum (Ximenia americana): This is the most common variety of the 2 found in Namibia, both very similar and almost impossible to tell apart. Common and widespread in central and northern Namibia it can be found in the far north-west of Kaokoland and the Kunene River region and Epupa Falls, along the Kunene River, Kavango River and all along the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip), Kwando River, Linyati Marshes and on to Victoria Falls. The habitat range is therefore varied.

It has many stems which form a thicket or sometimes a small tree growing 2 to 3m high. A smooth, pale grey bark is usually scattered with small, white flecks. Young branchlets are blue-green with straight thorns. The leaves are the same colour but with a blue-grey, waxy coating. Clusters of greenish-white flowers bloom from August to May, usually in November. The stone-fruit is yellow when ripe, although it turns dark blue when dried.

This fruit has many uses and can be eaten when yellow and ripe. It has a plum or prune flavour when over-ripe. Jelly can be made from the pulp and beer can be brewed and vinegar distilled from the fermented fruit. The peel can heal sores and oil is extracted from the seeds for cosmetic purpose, eland browse the leaves and Ella's Bar butterfly and the Common Dotted Border butterfly use the blue sourplum as a larval host-plant. Branches with leaves are used for a toothache remedy and the bark can treat ringworm, fever and sores. The roots aid in diarrhoea and headaches.