Kraal honeythorn


Kraal honeythorn

Lycium afrum

Scientific name

A thorny and stiffly branched shrub or small tree, that grows to a height of 2-3 m. The bark is pale creamy brown; branchlets armed with rigid spines 1-4,5cm long, often bearing the leaves and flowers. It has succulent-like, grey-green leaves, that are leathery and linear-oblong, 11-24 × 1-2 mm, tufted on short shoots and spirally arranged.

Also called: kraalkriedoring, slangbessie, bokdoring

References and further reading

PlantZAfrica profile »

Wikipedia page »

Image credit: Hedi Stummer

Important characteristics

Conservation status: Least Concern

This species was selected because it has various important characteristics.

Suitable for clay soil

It provides food for:

Honeybees/flies

Southern double-collared sunbird

Lycium afrum is indigenous to: Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Peninsula Shale Renosterveld Cape Flats Dune Strandveld

Communitree Newsletter

Receive our monthly updates in your mailbox

Our sponsors

We thank our 2019 sponsors for their support in our work. If your company or organisation wants to help support Communitree, click here to get in touch.