Violet Tree (Securidaca longipedunculata)

Family: Polygalaceae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Small to medium-sized tree, measuring between 6 and 12 meters tall. The species suffers from over-harvesting for use in local medicines. Periodic droughts and bush fires are also a hazard for the propagation of this tree. The plant is commonly gathered from the wild for medicinal use and also as a food and source of materials.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Young leaves - cooked. Eaten as a vegetable or in sauces. — Young leaves - cooked.; Eaten as a vegetable or in sauces.

Habitat & North American Range

Woodland and arid savannah soils. Occurs in a broad range of vegetation, from semi-arid scrub to dense forest, including many woodland and bush habitats and gallery forests at elevations up to 1,600 metres. (Zone 10)