Buffalo thorn

The buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata) is known in Afrikaans as blink-blaar-wag-n'-bietjie (shiny-leaf wait-a-bit) and in German as Wart-ein-'n-bietjie, because of its vicious, paired thorns, one being straight, the other curved backwards and very sharp. It is this bush that tends to hook itself into skin and clothing, which then become extremely difficult and painful to dislodge. In the past, the buffalo thorn's (thorny) properties were put to good use building kraals (enclosures) to protect domestic livestock from predators.

In and around this thorny tangle of a bush, you can find hollows where animals such as gemsbok, hyena and jackal shelter from the wind. It has a shiny, bright green foliage, with small, round, reddish-brown and produces edible berries, with a slightly astringent taste. The small, yellow flowers attract many insects and birds, whilst rats, mice, baboons, dik-dik and tree squirrels eat the fruit. Dik-dik, springbok, kudu and giraffe browse the leaves.

As with other trees and shrubs, the roots once chopped and roasted can be used as a coffee substitute, although it has a bit of a bitter taste by all accounts. The leaves and bark have a medicinal value, and wine and brandy can be made by fermenting the fruit. The berries can be eaten fresh, or mixed with porridge.