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African Boxthorn

Description

  • Perennial shrub to 4m, with long rigid thorny branches
  • Leaves bright green, elliptical, fleshy and clustered
  • Fruit round, succulent, 5-10mm, dull orange-red when ripe
  • Flowers tubular, five pale lilac or white petals

Flowering Times

  • Autumn through to spring

Control Measure

  • Mechanical removal using extreme caution (large spines)
  • Herbicides

Problems

  • Bushes form dense, impenetrable thickets
  • Thickets occupy valuable grazing land and harbour vermin
  • Berries are a host for fruit fly and other insects
  • Being an extremely hardy plant, is often very hard to kill

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