Page 22 - Landscape SA 104

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE

Engelerophytum magaliesmontanum
The bark and branches of this compact, round, hardy shrub are dark
and knobbly when older, while the leaves are usually dark green and
‘evergreen’. The small cream-coloured flowers are strongly scented. The
tasty fruit, yellow ripening to red, is favoured by birds and other animals in
the wild. The fruit can be made into a jam, jelly, syrup, preserve or wine...
and the fruit and roots have medicinal value. The plants are drought and
fairly cold resistant.

Photo by Carol Knoll
Its common Afrikaans name refers to the fruit that grows
directly off the stem (stam). In English it is sometimes
referred to a Stemfruit or a Milkplum.

Photo by Carol Knoll
The Stamvrug is a large shrub or medium-sized tree which
grows on the rock outcrops.

Photo by Carol Knoll
The spreading shrub with its whitish green flowers, apple-green fruit and foliage was
named after the English Wild Medlar, although it has no relationship to it....but both fruits
are edible. The pulp of Vangueria makes a good substitute for apple sauce.
Vangueria infausta

The Medlar is a hardy, drought
resistant plant. The bark and trunk
are grey and smooth when young,
becoming rough and peeling with
age. It is semi-deciduous with
velvety leaves and prominent
veins on the undersides. It makes
an attractive garden subject in
either sun or semi-shade. The
fruit, turning from apple green
to yellow, is favoured by birds
and insects. It is a traditional wild
health food of Northern Sotho
people.

20 Landscape SA • Issue 104 2021