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Boscia salicifolia is a deciduous shrub or small tree of dry African savannahs, growing up to about 12 m with narrow leaves and a dark, scaly bark. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant species best suited to dry, free-draining sites in warm climates.
Boscia salicifolia is a deciduous tree with narrowly ovate to linear leaves that grows up to 12 meters in height, it is within the Capparaceae family.
Test on the leaves of the species identified the presence of flavonoid glycosides including, rhamnetin 3-O-b-neohesperidoside, rhamnocitrin 3-0-b-glucopyranoside and rhamnetin 3-0-b-glucopyranoside.
Occurs in the Sahel and Sudan savannah vegetations of West Africa, eastwards towards Somalia and southwards towards Botswana and Mozambique. Common on termite mounds, dry lands, hills, ironstone and sandy soils.
In some parts of Africa, the leaves of Boscia salicifolia are prepared as a vegetable soup. In traditional medical practice, plant extracts are utilized to help heal wounds, used as a dewormer and as a decoction to treat tuberculosis, joint pains and ear infections. Root bark extracts is used as an aphrodisiac.
Caper Bush · Shepherd's Tree · Boscia arabica · Smelly Shepherd's Tree · Broad Leaved Boscia · Senegal boscia · Shepherd Trees
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Boscia salicifolia 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.
