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Common Turkey-berry
Canthium inerme
SA tree no: 708
English: Common Turkey-berry, Turkeyberry, Turkey-berry, Criss-cross Turkey-berry, Cape Date, Smooth Turkey-berry
Afrikaans: Gewone Katjiepiering, Doringkatjiepiering, Blinkblaarboom, Bokdrol, Gewone Bokdrol, Doringels
Xhosa: Umvuthwamini, Umnyushulube
Zulu: Isitobe, Umvuthwamini
N. Sotho: Mmutswa-o-sepela
Siswati: Mvutwamira
Venda: Muvhibvela-shadani
Synonyms, misapplied or old scientific names: Canthium swynnertonii, Canthium ventosum, Lycium inerme, Plectronia swynnertonii, Plectronia inermis, Canthium inerme var. inerme
Canthium inerme, commonly known as Common Turkey-berry or Gewone Katjiepiering, is a popular indigenous evergreen or semi-deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized tree. It is admired for its dense, glossy green foliage, and its small, sweet-scented, greenish-white flowers that develop into distinctive, shiny black, two-lobed fruits, resembling a turkey's head, which are a favourite food for many bird species.
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Distinguishing features:
Leaves are glossy dark green, opposite, and often slightly wavy, with a prominent drip-tip.
Small, greenish-white, sweetly scented flowers in dense clusters in leaf axils.
Distinctive, shiny black, two-lobed (bilobed) fruit that looks like a turkey's head or a pair of small testicles, often in abundance.
Smooth, greyish bark.
Generally thornless, hence 'inerme' (unarmed).
Overall appearance:
The Common Turkey-berry (Canthium inerme) is a neat and compact evergreen or semi-deciduous shrub or small tree, often with a rounded crown. It's characterised by its attractive glossy dark green leaves and the charming, yet inconspicuous, greenish-white flowers, which are followed by its most famous feature: the glossy, black, two-lobed fruits that resemble little turkey heads.
Height:
Typically grows 2 to 7 metres tall as a shrub or small tree, but can sometimes reach up to 15 metres in sheltered, favourable forest conditions.
Width:
Can spread to a width of 2 to 5 metres, forming a dense, rounded crown.
Leaves:
The leaves are opposite, simple, oval to elliptical, typically 3-10 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide. They are glossy dark green and somewhat leathery on the upper surface, paler underneath, with a distinct drip-tip (acuminate apex). The margins are entire (smooth) and often slightly wavy. The leaves usually remain on the tree, but in very cold or dry conditions, it can become semi-deciduous, losing some or all of its leaves temporarily.
Flowers:
The flowers are very small (about 4-5 mm in diameter), star-shaped, with 4-5 greenish-white to pale yellow petals. They are borne in dense, rounded clusters (axillary cymes) in the leaf axils, along the branches. They are sweetly scented, especially at night. Canthium inerme flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female reproductive parts.
Flowering season:
In South Africa, it generally flowers from late winter to spring (around August to November), though flowering can extend into summer depending on rainfall.
Fruits:
The fruit is the most distinguishing feature: a small, fleshy, bilobed (two-lobed) drupe, about 1-1.5 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. It ripens from green to a shiny black, resembling a turkey's head or a pair of small, fused spheres. Each lobe contains a single seed. The fruits are produced in abundance and are edible.
Seeds:
Each fruit contains two hard, hemispherical seeds (pyrenes) within the fleshy pulp. These seeds are dispersed by birds and other animals that consume the fruit.
Bark/Stems:
The bark is smooth and pale grey to light brown when young, becoming darker and sometimes slightly fissured with age. The young stems are green and fairly slender.
Thorns:
None. The species name "inerme" means "unarmed" or "without thorns."
Wood:
The wood is hard, heavy, and yellowish-white. It is durable and has been traditionally used for fence posts, tool handles, wagon parts, and general carpentry. It makes good firewood.
Roots:
It has a well-developed, non-aggressive, fibrous root system that provides good anchorage and contributes to its adaptability to various conditions.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable to a wide range of well-drained soils, from sandy to loamy and even heavier clay soils. It tolerates poor soil conditions and a range of pH levels.
Aspect:
Thrives in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. It is moderately drought-tolerant once established and very tolerant of wind. It is also moderately frost-tolerant, especially mature plants, though young plants may need protection from severe frost.
Ediblity:
The ripe black fruits are edible for humans. They have a sweet but slightly tart flavour and are sometimes consumed raw or used to make traditional fermented drinks.
Toxicity:
Considered non-toxic.
Uses:
An excellent, versatile indigenous plant for gardens, parks, and street planting. It is ideal as a feature plant, informal hedge, screen, windbreak, or background plant. Its dense growth provides good privacy. It is widely used in rehabilitation projects due to its hardiness and ability to attract wildlife. Its edible fruit is a bonus. The wood has traditional uses for various implements.
Ecology:
The small, sweetly scented flowers are attractive to a variety of insects, including bees, which are important pollinators. The most significant ecological role comes from its abundant fruits, which are a major food source for numerous bird species (hence "Turkey-berry"). Birds like turacos (loeries), barbets, starlings, bulbuls, and many others eagerly feed on the ripe berries, aiding in seed dispersal. The dense foliage provides excellent cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals.
Distribution and habitat:
Canthium inerme is widely distributed across almost all provinces of South Africa, including the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, and Gauteng. It extends further north into Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and other tropical African countries. It grows in a wide variety of habitats, including forest margins, open woodlands, savannas, grasslands, rocky outcrops, and along riverbanks, often in a range of altitudes.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Canthium is derived from "kanti," a Malabar (Indian) name for a species in this genus, referring to a thorny plant, although Canthium inerme is thornless.
The species name inerme is Latin for "unarmed" or "without thorns," specifically distinguishing it from other Canthium species that do have thorns.
Common names like "Turkey-berry" refer to the distinctive, two-lobed fruit which resembles a turkey's head, or sometimes a pair of testicles (often referred to as 'Bokdrol' in Afrikaans, meaning 'goat droppings' due to shape).
Historical aspects:
As one of South Africa's most widespread and adaptable indigenous trees, Canthium inerme has a long history of traditional use and significance. Indigenous communities have valued its wood for various implements and its edible fruits. Its role as a vital food source for birds has been observed for centuries. In modern landscaping, its hardiness, attractive appearance, and ability to attract wildlife have cemented its place as a highly valued indigenous plant for both ecological and aesthetic purposes.
Interesting facts:
This plant has a very quirky fruit that looks exactly like a little turkey's head (or sometimes a pair of goat droppings, which is what "Bokdrol" means in Afrikaans!).
It's a true feast for birds – they absolutely love munching on its shiny black fruits, making it a bustling spot in your garden!
Despite its genus name (Canthium sometimes refers to thorny plants), this specific species is totally thornless, which is why it has "inerme" in its scientific name.
Its small, greenish-white flowers might not be super showy, but they release a lovely sweet scent, especially at night!
Growing tips:
Propagation: Easily propagated from fresh seed, which germinates readily. Can also be grown from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Planting: Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. Plant in well-drained soil; it is very adaptable to various soil types.
Watering: Water regularly during its establishment phase (first year). Once established, it is highly drought-tolerant and needs minimal watering.
Frost Protection: Moderately frost-tolerant. Young plants may need protection in very cold, exposed areas.
Maintenance: Low maintenance. Can be pruned to shape or to encourage bushier growth. It tolerates heavy pruning if needed for hedging.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Plant type
Plant family:
Rubiaceae (red (the roots, used in dyeing)) - Order: Gentianales