The African plum, Vitex doriana, is also known as Black plum, Prunier noir and/or mfuru. It is a deciduous small to medium sized, fruit bearing tree, up to 20 m tall; tree trunk branchless for up to 11 m and up to 90 cm in diameter.


Vitex doriana has a moderate rate of growth and is established largely in areas with an average yearly rainfall of 700-2000 mm. The African plum is a member of the Verbenaceae family and it is widely distribute in tropical Africa.

Leaves are opposite, compound, long stalked, with 3-7 leaflets, simple to elliptical, 4-25 cm × 2.5-10.5 cm. They are sold locally as a vegetable and they are consumed cooked. Leaf extracts (infusions) are added to alcoholic drinks to make them more alcoholic. Leaves are as well used as livestock fodder. Flowers are many, bisexual, 3-5 mm long with short dentition, white to pale purple in color.

The blackish, 2-3 cm long, oval fruit is edible and sweet and consumed largely raw. It is as well used to make jam and a drink is made from the fruit juice and cooked (boiled) fruits to be employed as the base for an alcoholic liquor and wine. The seeds within the fruit stone are edible too.

The fruit of the African plum matures early in the dry time of year, commonly picked up from the wild but are occasionally also gathered up from trees established on farms. Fruit has a good shelf-life and worthily nutritional value.

The African plum, Vitex doriana, has many applications in traditional medicine. Leaf sap is applied as an eye drop to address conjunctivitis and other eye problems. Pastes of pounded up leaves and bark are put on to wounds and burns. Bark, leaves, roots and fruits have medicinal value.

Propagation (regeneration)of the African plum is by seed and root suckers (naturally).

African plum, Black plum, Prunier noir, mfuru, Vitex doriana

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