Star Apple – 5 Seeds

Star Apple (Diospyros austro-africana) is a multi-stemmed dioecious shrub or small tree that can grow 2m – 10 m in height. The brown branches are finely haired, similar to the fine hairs on the small, narrow-obovate leaves, which give this shrub a dusty grey appearance. The small leaves turn a blackish-red in winter. The flowers are pendulous, creamy white, pink or red and produces fleshy fruits which are velvety and ripen red to black. The edible fruit is usually 15 mm in diameter. The shrub is a water-wise plant that can tolerate cold temperatures and severe frost.

Common names: fire-sticks, star-apple (Eng.); kritikom, jakkalsbos, vuurmaakbossie, kraaibessie (Afr.); liperekisi-tsa-makhoaba, senokonoko (South Sotho), umbhongisa (Xhosa)

Growing Star Apple

Indoor Sowing: Spring

Direct Sowing: Autumn and Spring

• Soak Seeds in water for 24 hours.
• Sow the seeds in a 50% sand and 50% seedling mixture and cover the seeds with the soil mixture.
• Place the trays in a warm area and keep the soil moist.
• Germination can take three weeks or longer.
• Transplant once big enough. The soil should be well draining.