Forms a large shrub 4m high by 5 m wide Dark green succulent stems, which turn black then a rough light brown with age
Flowers appear in spring and summer in clusters of 3 5, the egg shaped berries 20 30mm long are bright orange yellow when ripe
A fast growing species, hardy in most soils types and conditions, except salt spray Produces its first fruit and seed when 2 or more years old Sunny position, tolerates temperatures down to at least 7c
Bush Food: Fruit raw or cooked, the early fruits that form are at first yellow or green and highly poisonous, but can be eaten when they are at their ripest, turning a blood orange colour It can be used as a sweet fruit or as a vegetable Fruit is sickly sweet and often bitter
Bush medicine: The fruit was used as a poultice on swollen joints The plant contains a steroid which is important to the production of cortisone The fruit contains high levels of the alkaloid solanine, which can be infused from the leaves with hot water to create steroids
Germination: Seed require no pre treatment, germinates at 20c in 2 3 weeks prick out seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle
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