The Kei apple, Dovyalis Caffra or Aberia caffra, is a dioecious, sub tropical, evergreen, South African small fruit bearing tree, 3- 4 meters tall. Dovyalis Caffra can reach however, in open woodland with generous moist, its greatest size of around 8-9 meters. Kei apple is a member of the Salicaceae family the genus Dovyalis. Male and female trees are required for pollination in order to set fruit.

The Kei apple is covered in fierce, needle like, 3-6 cm long stem spines in the leaf axils. While a subtropical species, the Kei apple is able to endure temperatures as low as ?6°C and it is drought and salt tolerant plant.

Leaves are 3-6 cm long, simple ovate, alternately arranged, produced in bunches from buds at the basis of the spines. The leaves are utilized as fodder for farm animals. The flowers are creamy green, obscure, solitary or clustered, with no flower petals.

Male and female flowers are born on individual plants, although some female plants are parthenogenetic. Male flowers are 3 mm long born in dense bundles of 5-10 flowers. Female flowers are found in groups of up to three on stalks 4-10 mm long in leaf axils.

The fruit of Dovyalis Caffra is edible, showy vivid yellow or orange in color, globular shaped juicy berries, 2.5-6 cm in diameter, with skin and flesh of a unvarying color and with a few small seeds. Production is frequently abundant, weighing down the branches on the summertime. They are juicy, tasty and somewhat acidic.

The edible fruit of Dovyalis Caffra is consumed fresh sprinkled with sugar or used to make an excellent jam, popular pickles or used in sweets.

Dovyalis caffra can be grown as a boundary line, screen or used to make an impenetrable hedging around a garden to keep unwelcome animals and people out. It will grow well in either full sun or light shade and will require frequent cutting back in order to keep a good hedgerow.

The Kei-apple is easily propagated from seed. Propagation from hardwood cuttings is also successful as long as it is treated with root-stimulating hormone prior to planting. Plants will bear about four years later.

Aberia caffra, Kei-apple

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The key to successful fruit and nut production is the provision of a beneficial environment for the trees that bear them.