textAdminOnlyNameForClipboard
Kooboo-berry
Mystroxylon aethiopicum
SA tree no: 410
English: Kooboo-berry, Candlewood, Spoonwood
Afrikaans: Koeboebessie, Lepelboom, Lepelhout, Koeboebos
Xhosa: Umngwebe, Umgxele, Umkethankethi, Umgqapheli, Umcengele
Zulu: Umngwebe, Umquma, Umsine, Umhlwazi
N. Sotho: Monamane
Venda: Mukwatikwati, Mukwatule, Mungugunu
Historical scientific names: Elaeodendron aethiopicum, Cassine aethiopica, Cassine sphaerophylla
Mystroxylon aethiopicum, commonly known as Kooboo-berry or Koeboebessie, is a highly adaptable indigenous evergreen shrub or small tree widely distributed across diverse habitats in South Africa. This resilient plant is characterised by its dense canopy of glossy bright green leaves, which are typically elliptic and often display a distinctive submarginal vein.
While its greenish-yellow flowers are small and inconspicuous, they lead to an abundant display of striking orange-red berries that persist on the branches for an extended period, providing significant visual appeal and a vital food source for local wildlife. Mystroxylon aethiopicum is a robust and valuable species for a variety of landscaping applications, from informal hedging to a standalone specimen, thriving in a range of conditions.
Have you got a better picture?
If you don't mind us using it, please upload it by clicking the Upload button below (you must be logged in to do this)
Distinguishing features:
An evergreen, dense, and often multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, sometimes with a scrambling habit.
Features glossy, bright green, elliptic leaves that are often slightly wavy and have a distinct submarginal vein parallel to the edge on the underside.
Produces tiny, inconspicuous, greenish-yellow flowers borne in small clusters.
Bears abundant small (5–10 mm), spherical to ovoid, fleshy berries that ripen to a vibrant orange-red colour and persist for many months.
Highly tolerant of drought, wind, and various soil types.
Overall appearance:
Mystroxylon aethiopicum typically grows as a compact, rounded, and densely branched shrub or a small, neat tree. Its consistently bright, glossy green foliage gives it a fresh and vibrant look throughout the year. The plant's most striking feature is the prolific display of small, shiny orange-red berries that cover the branches from summer well into winter, creating a cheerful contrast against the green leaves and making it a standout in any garden.
Height:
Typically grows 1.5 to 5 metres tall as a shrub, but can reach up to 8 metres as a small tree in optimal conditions.
Width:
Can form a dense, spreading bush, usually 2 to 4 metres wide.
Leaves:
Simple, arranged oppositely or sub-oppositely along the stems, sometimes appearing alternate towards the branch tips.
Shape is consistently elliptic to ovate (egg-shaped) or sometimes obovate (reverse egg-shaped), measuring between 2 cm and 7 cm in length and 1 cm to 4 cm in width.
They are thick and leathery (coriaceous) to the touch, with a highly glossy, vibrant dark green upper surface and a slightly paler green underside.
Margins are typically entire (smooth) and sometimes have a subtly wavy or slightly rolled-under appearance.
A key identification feature is the presence of a distinct submarginal vein, which is a prominent vein running parallel to the leaf edge, visible especially on the underside of the leaf. This vein connects to the side veins that loop towards the margin.
Flowers:
Tiny and generally inconspicuous, measuring approximately 2–3 mm in diameter.
Possess 5 small, greenish-yellow to cream petals.
Borne in small, dense clusters (axillary cymes) found in the axils (junctions) of the leaves.
Often have a subtle, sweet fragrance, which can be more noticeable when multiple flowers are in bloom.
The species is usually dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are typically found on separate plants, though occasionally bisexual (hermaphrodite) flowers can occur.
Flowering season:
Primarily flowers in spring and early summer, typically from September to December, but it has the ability to flower sporadically throughout the year, especially if conditions are favourable or after good rainfall.
Fruits:
Small, fleshy drupes (a fruit with a fleshy outer part and a hardened inner part containing the seed) that are spherical to ovoid (egg-shaped), measuring between 5 mm and 10 mm in diameter.
Initially green, they ripen to a striking and distinct bright orange-red colour, although occasionally purplish-red variants can be seen.
They are very persistent and remain on the branches for many months, often from summer through to winter, providing a long-lasting display and a continuous food source.
Each fruit typically contains 1 or 2 small, hard seeds.
Seeds:
Small, ovoid (egg-shaped), hard, and typically dark brown or black, enclosed within the fleshy part of the fruit.
Bark:
On younger stems, the bark is smooth and light grey. As the plant matures, the bark becomes darker, typically greyish-brown, and can develop fine fissures or a slightly flaky texture.
Stems:
The plant features multiple slender, rigid, and often intricately branched stems, contributing to its dense, bushy appearance. Young stems are smooth and can range from green to a reddish-brown colour.
Wood:
The wood is characteristically hard, dense, and tough. It has been historically used for making small implements, tools, and for fine carving due to its robust nature.
Thorns:
This plant is entirely thornless.
Roots:
It develops a strong, fibrous root system that is generally non-invasive. This root system is effective in anchoring the plant and contributing to soil stability.
Soil type:
Mystroxylon aethiopicum is highly adaptable and can thrive in a wide range of well- drained soil types. These include sandy loams, heavier clay soils, and even rocky or gravelly substrates. It shows good tolerance for soils of lower fertility but will perform optimally in richer, more fertile conditions.
Aspect:
This plant thrives best when planted in a position that receives full sun exposure, which encourages denser growth and more prolific fruiting. However, it is also highly tolerant of partial shade. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established and can withstand strong winds, making it an excellent choice for exposed sites. It is moderately frost-hardy, capable of enduring light to moderate frost; however, severe or prolonged frost might cause some damage or defoliation, especially to younger plants.
Edibility:
The fruits are edible for humans when they are ripe, having a sweet, although sometimes sour or bitter, taste. Fresh leaves are also used as a tea by some tribes.
Toxicity:
Considered non-toxic to humans. Both the fruits and leaves are consumed in traditional contexts without reported adverse effects.
Uses:
Wood Uses: The wood of the kooboo-berry is hard and tough, making it ideal for crafting handles for small implements like axes, picks, and hand hoes. It is also used to make wooden spoons, mortars, and young, tough branches are commonly used for making formidable knobkerries (knobbed sticks).
Traditional Medicine: A milk infusion prepared from the bark is traditionally used to treat worm infestation in cattle. The bark is also valued in medicine to treat stomach ache, anaemia, and coughs.
Dye and Other By-products: A brown dye produced from the bark is used for tanning. When pounded, the fresh leaves can be used to prepare bird lime.
Food Source: The fruits are edible and sweet, though they may occasionally have a sour or bitter taste. Fresh leaves are also used as tea by tribes like the Masai.
Ornamental Plant: With its attractive conical shape, Mystroxylon aethiopicum makes a beautiful specimen plant in a small home garden.
Hedge and Screening: When planted in groups, these trees form a dense and attractive hedge that effectively serves as a barrier against noise, wind, and dust.
Biodiversity Attraction: This plant is a must-have for attracting biodiversity to the garden, as its various parts and characteristics are enjoyed and utilised by humans, animals, insects, and birds alike.
Ecology:
Pollination: The small, yet subtly fragrant flowers are visited by various insect pollinators, including different species of bees, which are essential for its reproductive cycle. This is also a good bee forage tree.
Herbivory: The bark and leaves of Mystroxylon aethiopicum are eaten by the black rhino. Its leaves are browsed by various antelopes including nyala, kudu, red and grey duiker, and blue wildebeest. Young leaves are also consumed by cattle and goats.
Fruiting and Seed Dispersal: A wide range of animals, including samango monkeys, bush pigs, kudu, baboons, and warthogs, favour the ripe fruits that have fallen from the tree. While still on the tree, the ripe fruits are a feast for birds such as Cape Parrots, Purple-crested Louries, African Green Pigeons, francolins, and Black-eyed Bulbuls.
Habitat Provision: The dense, bushy growth of Mystroxylon aethiopicum provides excellent cover and shelter for a variety of small animals and offers secure nesting sites for birds.
Distribution and habitat:
Mystroxylon aethiopicum is one of the most widely distributed indigenous plants in South Africa, extending across most provinces and well into tropical Africa.
South African Provinces: It is found in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, and rarely in the Northern Cape.
Wider Range: Its distribution extends beyond South Africa into Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and other African countries to the north.
Habitat: This adaptable species occurs in a broad spectrum of habitats. These include coastal bush and dune thickets, evergreen forests and their margins, riverine bush (vegetation along riverbanks), various types of bushveld, and on rocky outcrops. It is particularly common in coastal and drier, thorny scrubland areas, showcasing its remarkable adaptability to different ecological niches.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Mystroxylon is derived from ancient Greek words: 'mystros' (μυστρος), meaning "a spoon or ladle," and 'xylon' (ξῦλον), meaning "wood." This combination might refer to the shape of its leaves (which can sometimes be spoon-like) or possibly a characteristic of its wood.
The species epithet aethiopicum is Latin and translates to "of Ethiopia" or simply "African," directly indicating its origin on the African continent.
The common names "Kooboo-berry" and "Koeboebessie" (its Afrikaans equivalent) are direct references to its most distinctive feature: its attractive and edible berries.
Historical aspects:
Mystroxylon aethiopicum has a rich history of traditional use throughout its extensive distribution in Africa. For centuries, various indigenous communities have utilised different parts of the plant, including its edible berries and leaves, as a food source. Furthermore, it has played a significant role in traditional African medicinal practices, reflecting its perceived therapeutic properties for a range of ailments. In contemporary horticulture and conservation, its resilience, aesthetic appeal, and ecological contributions to local biodiversity, particularly its role in providing food for birds, have led to its increasing recognition and use in water-wise and wildlife-friendly garden designs.
Interesting facts:
This "Kooboo-berry" is a real magnet for birds because its branches are absolutely covered in bright orange-red berries that stay on the plant for months – it's like a natural, living bird feeder!
Take a close look at its leaves, especially the underside, and you might spot a cool 'submarginal vein' – a tiny vein running neatly just inside the edge of the leaf, which helps identify it!
It's a tough cookie of the plant world! You can find it growing happily in all sorts of places, from windy, salty coastal dunes to hot, dry inland bushveld, proving it's incredibly resilient.
Growing tips:
Propagation: Best propagated from fresh seeds. For improved germination, clean the fleshy pulp from the seeds before sowing them in a well-drained growth medium, such as sandy loam. Germination rates can sometimes be variable, so patience is key. It can also be propagated successfully from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Planting: This plant thrives best when planted in a position that receives full sun, though it also tolerates partial shade. It is highly adaptable to various well-drained soil types, including poorer or rocky soils.
Watering: Water regularly when the plant is young to help it establish a strong and healthy root system. Once established, Mystroxylon aethiopicum becomes highly drought-tolerant and will require minimal supplementary watering, making it an excellent choice for water-wise gardens.
Frost: It demonstrates moderate frost-hardiness. Established plants are generally capable of tolerating light to moderate frost events. However, in regions prone to severe or prolonged frost, it is advisable to provide some protection, especially for younger specimens.
Maintenance: This is a low-maintenance plant. It responds very well to pruning, which can be used to shape it into a formal or informal hedge, to control its size, or to simply encourage denser growth.
Pests/Diseases: Mystroxylon aethiopicum is generally a robust species with good natural resistance to most common pests and diseases, requiring little intervention.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Plant type
Plant family:
Plant family (derivation)