Grewia mollis fruit

What it is

Each lobe measures just 0.5–0.7 cm (about ¼ in) across. Fine hairs cover the surface, and the fruit changes from yellow to black as it ripens. Under the sweet pulp is a hard, woody stone.

The plant has bright yellow flowers and long oval leaves, pale green above and covered in silky grey-white hairs beneath.

Where it comes from

This is a widely spread African fruit. The plant grows from Senegal and Gambia east to Somalia and south to Zimbabwe, and also in Yemen. In Tanzania, it grows in places including Tabora, Mwanza, Rukwa and Arusha.

Savanna woodland, wooded grassland and thickets beside rivers are its home. Local names include mkole in Swahili, pobo in Acholi and eparis in Ateso.

How it's eaten where it grows

In Tanzania, the ripe fruit is a sweet snack eaten straight from the tree, with the hard seed discarded. People in Uganda’s Acholi and Teso regions also eat the fruit directly.

Other parts of the plant have separate kitchen uses. In Nigeria, flowers, buds and young shoots go into soups and sauces. In DR Congo, bark kneaded with water makes a thick, viscous liquid that goes into sauces. In Sudan, the young leaves are cooked as a vegetable.

How it's grown

Grewia mollis is a shrub or small tree, often with several trunks, reaching about 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft). It grows slowly and can be raised from seed, though people normally gather its products from the wild. Suckers from its branches can turn a group of plants into a thicket, and the plant withstands fire well. In Acholi and Teso, local people protect the wild plants.

When and where you'll find it

In Tanzania, gathering usually comes at the end of the rainy season. In Uganda’s Acholi and Teso regions, it is usually available from May to October. The Tanzanian tradition is to eat the freshly gathered fruit as a snack, without storing it for later.