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Cape Box Thorn

Lycium ferocissimum

SA tree number

English: Cape Box Thorn, Honey Thorn, Snake-berry, African Box Thorn

Afrikaans: Slangbessie, Karriedoring, Kriedoring, Bokdoring, Karroobos

Xhosa: Ubovu

Lycium ferocissimum, often called the Cape Box Thorn or African Box Thorn, is a tough, spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree. It has glossy, bright green leaves and produces small, fragrant white or pale lilac flowers. These are followed by attractive egg-shaped or rounded red berries, which are a favourite with birds. Its name even means "most ferocious," probably because of its super strong thorns!

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Distinguishing features:

  • Spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree.

  • Strong, thick spines up to 150 mm long on the main stem.

  • Bright green, somewhat fleshy, oval-shaped leaves usually in clusters of 5–12.

  • Fragrant white or pale lilac flowers with darker purple markings from the throat.

  • Flowers appear singly or in pairs.

  • Smooth, egg-shaped or rounded berries, starting green and turning orange-red or bright red when mature.

  • Extensive root system with laterally spreading roots.


Overall appearance: 

A much-branched, spiny shrub.


Height: 

2–3 m


Width: 

About 3 m


Leaves:

  • Oval in shape

  • Bright green

  • Somewhat fleshy

  • Usually borne in groups of 5–12 at the nodes of the stem

  • Surrounded at the base by small, light-brown scales

  • Largely obovate to oblong

  • Rounded at the top, tapering towards the base


Flowers:

  • Fragrant

  • Either solitary or in pairs

  • Emerging from the leaf axils

  • White or pale lilac, with darker purple markings from the throat

  • Normally occur in winter and spring, but also after rain in any season

  • Corolla (petals) is 5-15 mm across

  • Broadly cylindrical, 5-petalled corolla tube is 8-28 mm long 

  • Most flowers are bell-shaped, but some plants in the native range have tubular-shaped flowers

Flowering season: 

Winter and Spring, but also after rain in any season.


Fruits:

  • Smooth

  • Egg-shaped or rounded berries

  • Have small raised dots

  • Start off green and then turn orange-red or bright red when mature

  • Approximately 10 mm in diameter

  • With a persistent calyx

  • Mostly globular but sometimes can be slightly ovoid


Seeds:

Dispersed in the droppings of birds and small animals that eat the berries.


Bark:

  • Stems are smooth and light brown when young

  • Become grey and rough as they mature


Stems:

  • Erect

  • Woody

  • Drooping and spreading widely

  • Carry small shoots with clusters of leaves

  • Main stem carries strong and thick spines, up to 150 mm long

  • Branchlets carry smaller spines

Thorns:

  • Strong and thick spines

  • Up to 150 mm long on the main stem

  • Branchlets carry smaller spines


Soil type:

  • Tolerant of a wide range of soil types.

  • Prefers light soils such as deep loams.


Aspect:

  • Tolerant of a wide range of climates.

  • Tolerant of drought, salt spray, and sand blasting.

  • Grows on dry, stony and sandy flats and slopes.

  • Prefers full sun (implied by habitat and use in coastal gardens).

Edibility:

Berries are edible, but are known to produce narcotic symptoms.


Uses:

  • Used by Xhosa people as a tonic to cure cattle ailments like poor appetite and abscesses.

  • The root is used in lukewarm water to treat swollen legs.


Ecology:

  • Berries are eaten by birds and small animals.

  • Seed is dispersed in the droppings of birds and small animals that ingest the seeds.

  • Flowers are self-pollinating, but also attract insects and ants.


Distribution and habitat:

  • Not endemic to South Africa.

  • Occurs on dry, stony and sandy flats and slopes in the Western Cape (from Saldanha to Agulhas and Knysna), and into the Eastern Cape.

  • Also found through the interior of South Africa to Free State and Mpumalanga.

  • Also occurs in Lesotho.

  • Naturalised in Australia and New Zealand where it is considered a noxious weed.

  • Also found in other Mediterranean countries such as Tunisia and Spain, and one record from France.


Derivation of name:

  • The genus Lycium comes from the Greek word "lykion", which was the name for a thorny tree with juice and roots used medicinally, from Lycia, a southwest region of Asia Minor.

  • The species name ferocissimum is derived from the Latin words ferocissimum, ferocissimus, meaning 'most ferocious'. This is probably due to the spines on the branches that are quite ferocious and protect the bush from many herbivores.


Historical aspects:

  • This species was first officially described in 1854 by a British botanist, John Miers, in Annals and Magazine of Natural History.

  • It is one of 21 species of Lycium that occur in South Africa.


Interesting facts:

  • This plant's name, ferocissimum, literally means "most ferocious" – probably because of those seriously sharp spines that help protect it from hungry animals!

  • Its berries are super popular with birds, who then help spread its seeds around – talk about teamwork between plants and animals!

  • Even though its berries are edible, watch out – they're known to have a "narcotic" effect, so maybe just leave them for the birds!


Growing tips:

  • This plant is super tough and can handle drought, salty sea air, and even sand blasting, making it perfect for coastal gardens.

  • It can tolerate a wide range of climates and soil types, though it prefers lighter soils.

  • When you prune it, it actually encourages the plant to spread out more.

  • You can grow it from seeds or from shoots that grow from its roots.

This plant is a fantastic alternative for:

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Common name

Scientific Name

Plant type:

Plant type

Plant family:

Plant family (derivation)

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