Buffalo thorn fruit

What it is

The round fruit measures about 0.7–2.5 cm (0.3–1 in) across, with smaller and larger forms. Green skin turns red-orange to reddish brown as it matures. Inside sits a thick, hard, white stone enclosing the seed, surrounded by a thin layer of dry, mealy flesh.

Buffalo thorn is Ziziphus mucronata. Its fruit is larger, darker red and more bitter than that of its relative Ziziphus spina-christi.

Where it comes from

Buffalo thorn is native across a broad stretch of Africa, from Senegal and Ghana through Sudan and Ethiopia to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. It grows in open woodland, thorny scrub and beside rivers. A tree of dry country, it withstands both drought and frost.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Kordofan and Darfur, Sudan, the bittersweet pulp is dried and ground into a fine flour. Steaming it in small metal cups makes firm little cakes that take the shape of the cup. Another preparation mixes the flour with water and sesame, then shapes it into balls to eat immediately or keep for later.

In Namibia, the sourish fruit goes into ombike, a strong alcoholic drink, rather than being eaten raw. In Kano State in northern Nigeria, people eat the fruit. It is also eaten fresh or dried, and as meal or porridge.

How it's grown

Buffalo thorn grows as a shrub or tree, with a frequently crooked trunk and spreading branches that often droop. Its small yellow flowers give plenty of nectar, making it useful to beekeepers. A branch carries paired thorns, one straight and the other hooked back.

When and where you'll find it

In South Africa, the fruit usually appears from February to August. It can hang on the branches until the next green leaves emerge. Fresh and dried fruit are both eaten; in western Sudan, dried pulp also takes the form of flour for cooked foods.