Woody > Ziziphus > Ziziphus mucronata > Ziziphus mucronata
Ziziphus mucronata
Origin: The Buffalo thorn is found in the sub-Sahara Africa, from South Africa northwards to Ethiopia and Arabia.
| Family |
| Rhamnaceae |
| Genus |
| Ziziphus |
| Species |
| mucronata |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 10a |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| >9a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H2 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-1.1) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 30 |
| Height |
| 10 - 20 |
| Spread |
| 3 - 10 |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| The leaves are simple, alternating and ovate. There are two thorns growing from the nodes, one facing forwards and the second facing the opposite direction. The bark is a radish brown type of colour. |
| Shape |
| The crown of the tree is irregular. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| On the nodes of the tree there are two thorns. The younger twigs of this tree are zigzagging. One side of the tree is usually eaten away by insects. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| When the tree is young, the main stem is green and hairy. The base of the tree is 40 cm in diameter. As the tree gets older, the main branches start to crack into small rectangular blocks, revealing a red stringy under surface. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are distinctly shiny, with three veins starting from the base of the leaf. The leaf's size can vary from tree to tree, but it has alternating, ovate leaves. The leaves turn a yellow colour in Autumn. |
| Flower Description |
| The flower are born in dense clusters of green to yellow flowers. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit of this tree is a drupe. Its texture is smooth and lathery. It takes the colour of deep red when it is fully ripe, and when consumed the fruit is slightly sweet. |
| Colour Description |
| The bloom colour is green. The leafs go from green to yellow in Autumn, and the flowers are a yellow colour with a hint of green. The bark has a radish brown colour. The fruit has a deep red colouration to it. |
| Texture Description |
| When the tree is young, the main branch is hairy to the touch. |
| Propagation |
| Strip a layer off the seed, then soak the seed in cold water. From there, place the seeds in a tray with river sand for six hours. |
top