The Poora-berry tree

One of the attractive features of our village is the large variety of indigenous trees to be found here.

One of these carries the unusual name of Poora-berry (Vitex poora Corbishley). Vernacular names include Waterberg-poerabessie and chocolate berry. As far as can be ascertained, only two specimens grow on the property.

A pretty Poora-berry tree growing on the property

Surprisingly, an internet search provided little information about this tree. Researchers have recorded it as “rare in North-West and Northern Provinces [now Limpopo] and Gauteng” and considers its range of distribution to extend into southern Zimbabwe. Another source (click HERE to access) observed Poora-berry trees in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Tanzania. Although unconfirmed, the Pilanesberg Game Reserve Trees List categorises the Poora-berry as an exotic plant (click HERE to access).

One of the sources (click HERE to access) describes the Poora-berry tree as a shrub or small deciduous tree; occurring in bushveld on rocky hillsides, usually in sandy soil. Its hairy leaves are a dull yellowish green. It bears fleshy fruit that are edible and extremely popular with the workers in the village. However, the fruit is rather unpleasantly scented, said to be reminiscent of bedbugs, hence the unflattering vernacular names, such as Stinkbessie or Stinkbossie or Weeluis Fruit or Weeluisbessie.

The fruit of the Poora-berry

Indigenous people rely on these trees for much more than just their fruit.

They boil and eat the young leaves like spinach. They depend on the foliage to keep their livestock from starving during the long and trying months when the grass is gone. They use the twigs as chew sticks to clean their teeth. And they extract medicines from the trees. (click HERE to read more)

The leaves of the Poora-berry