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Balanites rotundifolia

Balanites rotundifolia is a spiny, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree of dry eastern Africa and southern Arabia, growing 2 to 5 m. It is drought tolerant and best grown in full sun with very little water once established.

Family
Zygophyllaceae (Zygophyll family)
Grows as
Tree, Shrub
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly and let the soil dry out fully between waterings; it tolerates long dry spells.
Soil
Well-drained sandy or gritty soil; tolerates poor, rocky ground.
Temperature
Warm conditions suited to dry tropical climates; protect from frost.
How easy
Moderate
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
Ethiopia to Kenya, S. Yemen
Climate
desert or dry shrubland

About

Balanites rotundifolia, known in Swahili as Mbamba ngoma is a spiny bush or small tree from eastern Africa and southern Arabia. It is a member of the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae.

Where it grows

Balanites rotundifolia is found in eastern Africa from Somalia and Somaliland into Sudan, and also in Yemen, specifically Aden.

Other Balanites plants

Desert date · Balanites angolensis · Balanites glabra · Small Green Thorn · Desert Date · Balanites wilsoniana

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Balanites rotundifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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