Jacket Plum – Pappea capensis Jacket Plum, Pappea capensis, is a
long-lived, hardy, evergreen, small to medium fruit bearing
tree, indigenous to southern Africa. It reaches heights of 2-8
meters and under ideal conditions can grow at a moderate rate
but slow-growing under dry and/or cold conditions. Jacket Plum
is of value as a street tree, shade tree in parking lots and
townhouse gardens since it does not have an aggressive root
system. Pappea capensis leaves are simple and oblong, paler
green below, hard-textured and rippled. Leaf borders vary from
sharply toothed (in young growth) to almost smooth. Flowers are
greenish, round and velvety, over 1cm in diameter, borne on
catkins in the axils of the leaves, followed by round green
velvety fruits. The wood is hard, light brown with a reddish
shade, tough and heavy with a twined grain. Leaves and bark used
as an important source of traditional medicine today. Jacket
Plum Fruit Jacket Plum fruit is edible, with a tart flavor. It
is eaten fresh or used to make pr