Kei Apple – 10 Seeds

The Kei apple (Dovyalis caffra) grows in valley bushveld, dry areas, wooded grassland, on forest edges, from Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal to Swaziland, into Limpopo [Northern Province] and Zimbabwe.

Common names: Kei-apple (Eng.); Kei-appel (Afr.); motlhono (North Sotho); umqokolo (Zulu); amaqokolo (Ndebele); mukokolo (Shona)

It is an evergreen tree or spiny shrub of moderate growth rate that may be planted close together to form a good hedge. The branches are heavily armed with long, sharp, straight spines (thorns), which contribute to its dense, intertwined, bramble-like nature when planted as a hedge or thicket. It usually grows 3-5 m in height, but sometimes reaches 8m with a much branched crown.

The plant is dioecious, meaning you need separate male and female plants for fruit production. One male plant can effectively pollinate around 30 female plants. Creamy green flowers form in November to December. Male flowers are 3 mm long in dense clusters of 5-10 flowers. Female flowers are found in groups of up to three on stalks 4-10 mm long in leaf axils. The fruits are up to 60 mm in diameter and are yellowish-orange in color.

The leaves are used as fodder (bulk feed for livestock). The fruits are edible, and make excellent jam and jelly, and, when under-ripe, pickles.

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Growing Kei Apple

Indoor Sowing: Spring.and Summer.

Direct Sowing: Spring and Summer.

• Kei apple grows best where the temperature is high. It is also found in forest having a dry season minimum temperature of about 40 C with a maximum temperature of 45 C.
• It is a drought and frost-resistant species.
• In South Africa, the tree does best where annual rainfall is 1000 mm to1 700 mm.
• Kei apple is adapted to many varieties of soil, from sandy to loamy clay soils with a preference for well drained and aerated soil. However, the tree can grow well in poor soils. The tree grows well at a pH of 5, 5 to 8, 5.
• The Kei apple is easily propagated from seed. It is advisable to plant a couple of seeds, as you will need both male and female trees in order to produce fruit.
• Sow seed in seedling trays filled with river sand or seedling mix.
• The seeds must be pressed down into the sand until they are level with the surface of the sand and then covered with a layer of fine sand.
• Female trees begin to bear fruit in 4 or 5 years.The fruit reaches maturity in 90 days from full flower opening.