Description
Wild Olive
Olea europaea subs. africana
Family: Oleaceae
Common names: Wild Olive (Eng.), Olienhout (Afr.)
Alternative Names: Mohlware (So), UmNquma (Zu, Xho, Swa), Mutlhwari (Ve), Motlhware (Tswa)
Wildlife
- The fruits are popular with people, monkeys, baboons, mongooses, bush pigs, warthogs, birds, pigeons, cape parrots and loeries.
- The leaves are browsed by game and stock.
- The tree is known to be excellent fodder tree for bushbuck.
Medicinal
- The wild olive essence is associated with fortitude and strength due to its hardiness.
- Traditional remedies prepared from this plant serve as eye lotions and tonics, to lower blood pressure, to improve kidney function and to soothe sore throats.
- The early Cape settlers were recorded to use the fruit to treat diarrhoea.
- An infusion of the bark can be used to relieve colic.
- Infusions of the leaves are used as an eye lotion, gargle to relieve sore throats, tonic and to lower blood pressure.
Practical Uses
- The hard, heavy and beautiful golden-brown wood is used for furniture, ornaments, spoons and durable fence posts.
- An ink has been made from the juice of the fruit.
Cullinary
- The leaves can be used as a substitute for tea. Parts used mainly include the dried leaves and sometimes the berries, roots and stems (concoctions).
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Image: sanbi.org