Ziziphus mauritiana

Ziziphus mauritiana

Family: Rhamnaceae

Common name: Indian plum

Indian Plum (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a spiny, evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 15 meters high. It has a spreading crown, stipular spines, and many drooping branches. The bark is dark grey or dull black and irregularly fissured. The leaves are variable in shape, typically oblong-elliptic with rounded tips, shiny green and hairless on the upper side, while the underside is covered with dense, whitish, soft hairs. The tree produces axillary cymes of greenish-yellow flowers, which are faintly fragrant.

The fruit is a drupe, typically globose to ovoid in shape. The skin is smooth or slightly rough, glossy, thin yet tough, and can be yellowish, reddish, or blackish when ripe. The flesh is white, crisp, juicy, and subacid to sweet, becoming mealy when fully ripe. The seeds are tuberculate and irregularly furrowed, containing elliptic brown kernels.

The Indian Plum has multiple medicinal and practical uses. The bark is used in tanning and yields brown, grey, or reddish dyes. The leaves, fruits, and bark are all used for medicinal purposes. Pounded roots are added to drinking water and given to poultry for treating diarrhea, as well as to humans for indigestion. The fruit can be eaten fresh or dried, and is commonly made into a floury meal, butter, or a cheese-like paste, often used as a condiment. The fruit is also used in candy making and pickling. It is a rich source of carotene, vitamins A and C, and fatty oils. Additionally, a refreshing drink can be prepared by macerating the fruits in water.