Sclerocarya birrea
One of Africa’s most iconic trees, the Marula is widespread over sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. In South Africa it is found in Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and Northwest. It grows in savanna and woodland.
The Marula is a large tree, growing up to 18m tall, with a wide spreading crown. Its fruit and leaves are popular with a very wide range of animals, from moth larvae and rodents to giraffes and elephants.
Marula fruit are edible, either fresh or made into jam. Fermented it is used to make traditional beer and Marula cream liqueur is exported the world over. The nut is used as food by itself or mixed with vegetables. In traditional medicine various parts of the Marula tree is used to treat allergies, diarrhoea, rheumatism, haemorrhoids , constipation, even gonorrhoea. The wood is good enough to manufacture furniture and floors and strong rope can be made from the inside layer of the bark.
de Wets Wild 
Sjoe, die Marula boom is omtrent veeldoelig (is dit nou die regte woord?). Ons het verlede jaar in Die Hel (Gamkaskloof) ‘n bottel Amarula likeur saamgeneem om ons 25ste huweliksherdenking te vier … ek het vooraf gelees die Marula boom is ook bekend as die “Marriage Tree” en kon nie aan ‘n beter drankie dink om 25 jaar te vier nie 😄.
O ja, ek’s mal oor daardie mooi sonopkoms foto!
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Dit klink asof julle weet hoe om belangrike herdenkings te vier!
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During my youth in the then Eastern Transvaal, I loved eating marulas – especially freshly picked and warm from the sun.
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To be honest, Anne, I can’t say that I’ve acquired a taste for marulas yet, even if they look a little like apricots, which I think are my favourite fruit.
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My mouth waters at the thought of eating one 🙂 🙂
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You can have my portion as well, Anne!
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As kind het ons ‘n maroelaboom in die erf gehad. Nooit geweet vd medisinale waarde nie! Die sunrise foto is pragtig!
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Baie dankie, Elsabe. Kon julle darem al die maroelas gebruik of weggee?
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Ek onthou ons het baie geëet, so van die boom af. Dink Ma het ook konfyt gekook.
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Dis goed as mens hulle kan gebruik voor hulle begin afgaan. Gefermenteerde maroelas in die Afrika son is nie sag op die neus nie!
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Lanklaas een gesien!
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Ek kan my indink hulle is nie baie volop waar jy nou woon nie! 😉
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Ja nee die liewe maroelas. Die vrugte het meestal ook in pad geval omdat bome so naby pad gegroei het. Dis natuurlik nie die snelweg nie.
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Die vrugte wat so op die grond val gee weer kans vir baie soorte diere om dit in die hande te kry
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Die bobbejane en blou apies is natuurluk ook altyd oor en weer oor die pad. Vlakvarke ook. Ai nou het jy weer prentjies uit die verlede opgeroep. Bobbejane is meestal nie so naby pad nie maar as daar maroelas is is dit ‘n hele gedoente.
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Beautiful and very useful tree!
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Very true, thank you Hien
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