Snot apple

Snot-apple (Azanza garckeana): This plant belongs to the hibiscus or cotton family (Malvaceae). It is a deciduous shrub that grows from 2 to 4m high or as a tree up to 9m. It is found in the dry woodlands on Kalahari sands in scattered areas around northern Namibia, uncommon in the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip) and along the Kavango River.

The flowers of the snot-apple are bell-shaped and creamy-yellow or purplish with a dark maroon centre. They bloom from December to May. The fruit is encased in a red, hard, roundish capsule. A jelly can be made from the glutinous flesh that surrounds the seeds. The larvae of the Paradise Skipper feed on the leaves of the snot-apple.