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Summary
Chocolate Berry, Vitex payos, is a shrub or small tree with a rounded crown and grows up to 10 m in height. It is commonly grown in tropical Africa. The chocolate brown or black fruits are sweet and edible. It can be eaten raw or cooked, or made into jams. Medicinally, the plant is used for stomach ailments, threadworm, skin problems, and loss of appetite. Fallen leaves are used as a mulch. The wood is very hard and suitable as poles and spoons. It is also used for fuel.
Physical Characteristics
Vitex payos is a TREE growing to 8 m (26ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Allasia payos Lour. Vitex allasia Planch. Vitex eylesii S.Moore Vitex hildebrandtii Vatke Vitex irin
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:
Fruit - raw or cooked[308 , 323 ]. Sweet, with a mealy texture[303 ]. It can be made into jam[323 ]. Each fruit is about 2 cm long, with pointed tips and a chocolate brown or black skin. The juicy pulp surrounds a single hard stone. A very popular fruit in parts of Africa, it is definitely an acquired taste for people who have not eaten it previously. Westerners are typically offended by the flavour, the powdery texture, the oily feel in the mouth, and the strong smell323]. The fruits have a rather unpleasant smell, and leave a temporary black stain on the teeth, but they are much eaten by children and herdsmen[398 ].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Appetizer Skin
A decoction of the root is used as a remedy for stomach problems[398 ]. The pounded bark is used to treat threadworm and skin problems[398 ]. The leaves are boiled and the liquid drunk by patients who have lost their appetite[398 ].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Fuel Mulch Soil conditioner Wood
Agroforestry Uses: The leaf fall of the tree acts as a mulch to improve soil condition[303 ]. Other Uses The wood is very hard. It is used for poles and spoons[398 ]. The wood is used for fuel[303 , 398 ].
Special Uses
Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Vitex payos is a species of the tropics, growing in hot, low and semi-arid places with a high water table. In more arid zones it is found near rock outcrops. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 650 - 850 metres[303 ]. The tree coppices well[303 ].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
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Plant Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seed coat which hinders germination[303 ]. In the wild the seedcoat is broken by annual fires[303 ].
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Anhongore, Azeitona-pequeno, Azeitona, Budeg keboke, Bugua, Bume-aincaobe, Bume, Cetona-pequena, Cetona, Ekarukei, Ewelu, Intompinha, Koro, Kukukunkuri, Kuo, Mangua, Muni, Murukukwe, N'ssogorro, Odoandri, Oyelo gwok, Oyelu, Oywelo too,
Native Range
AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
(Lour.) Merr.
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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