Scelerocarya birrea – Planted
Besides being consumed by humans since time immemorial, marula fruit and leaves are enjoyed by many different animals including livestock, rhinoceroses, waterbuck, warthog, giraffe, kudu and is loved by elephants, who distribute marula seeds in their dung.
Do elephants get drunk on Marula Fruit? A question I have been asked many times working as a field guide. This popular myth has been proved to be just that by scientists as an elephant would have to eat about 1500 fermented marulas to get drunk.
Regarded as a sacred tree in Africa, the marula is protected in communal lands under the local chief. Because of its leafy foliage and shade-bearing size, it is popular with villages for local meetings, and often in a ploughed field will be the only tree left standing. The marula tree is often the spiritual centre for ritual activity in kraals and villages.
Being one of the continent’s botanical treasures, there are many legends about this tree and its many uses – including its bark, fruit, kernels and nuts.
Beauty Of The Marula tree
Known as “the king of African trees” the marula tree, a member of the mango family, is a medium-sized deciduous tree standing sturdy at between 9 and 18 metres tall.
It blooms from September to November and produces fruit that is higher in vitamin C than an orange, from January to March.
Marula – a tree for everyone
Fruit, juice, beer, jam, flavourings, medicines, shade, caterpillars, handicrafts, fuelwood and more, … all from the marula tree. However, none of these can outrank the internationally known cream liqueur, Amarula. Amarula is produced in South Africa using the marula fruit, alcohol and cream. Amarula is one of the best selling products in the world in the category of liqueur creams.
Uses
Fruit:
Female trees bear up to 500 kilograms of fruit each year, while the male marula tree puts on a delicate floral display instead.
The green marula fruit is the size of a small plum, and very juicy and flavourful. It is high in vitamin C and can be eaten fresh. It is also cooked and used to produce juices, jams and alcoholic drinks.
A drink can be made from boiled marula fruit skin, or a coffee substitute can be made from burnt skin.
As for the kernels of the marula fruit, when roasted they are known as the “food of kings”, and are regarded as a delicacy.
The oil-rich kernels can be processed into marula oil which has an anti-oxidant action. Marula oil creates a protective coating on the skin’s surface, resulting in noticeably smooth and protected skin in seconds without a greasy residue. It is also used in conditioners, moisturizers, lotions, and more.
The Wood
The wood of the tree is soft and used for carving. It has been traditionally used for carving pestles and mortars, bowls, drums, beehives and stools and even canoes in some areas. During colonial times it was even used for tomato boxes and toilet seats.
Bark
Rope and a light brown dye can be made from the bark.
The bark contains antihistamines and is therefore used for cleansing by steeping the bark in boiling water and inhaling the steam.
To treat dysentery and diarrhea, a piece of bark is squashed to a pulp, mixed with cold water and swallowed. It is also used as a preventative to malaria.
Leaves
Their green leaves are eaten to relieve heartburn.
The leaves of the marula tree are also used as a spice and in a salad dressing.
Leaves may be used as dressings for burns and wounds
Roots
The roots are used to cure bilharzias, sore eyes, weakness and heart pain.
In Senegal, root bark and leaves are used with other plants for snake bite and other venom
Insects
Large saturniid caterpillars and the larvae of cerambycid wood boring beetles are taken from the marula tree and roasted. There are one or two flavourful nuts inside the flesh of these insects which are rich in protein.
Believes
Marula trees are dioecious, meaning they have either male or female genders. The Venda believes that the bark can be used to tell the gender of an unborn child. Bark infusions of a male tree are taken by a pregnant woman if she wants a son, and from the female tree is she wishes for a daughter. If a child of the opposite gender is born, he or she is said to be special as they have defied the spirits.
In the Zulu culture it is known as “The Marriage Tree”, as it is believed that those who marry beneath its branches will enjoy vigour and fertility all their days.
Also in the Zulu the marula tree symbolizes women’s fertility, softness, and tenderness, and newborn girls are welcomed into the world with traditional marula ceremonies.
Pete & Sue in Botswana 