Growing Guide: Kei Apple
Scientific Name | Dovyalis caffra |
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Common Names | Kei Apple, Wild Apricot, Umkokola |
Family | Salicaceae (Willow Family) |
Origin | Southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe) |
Plant Type | Fruiting Shrub / Small Tree |
Life Cycle | Perennial |
Food Forest Layer | Shrub / Mid-Story Layer |
Mature Size | 6–15 ft tall (prune to shape) |
Light | Full Sun |
Water Needs | Low to Moderate; drought-tolerant |
Harvest Season | Summer to Fall |
Time to Fruit | 2–3 years from planting |
Self-Fertile | No (dioecious; requires male and female) |
Growth Rate | Moderate to Fast |
Zones | USDA Zones 9–11 with frost protection while young (can handle light frost and temperatures down to 24 degrees once established) |
Florida Native | No |
Propagation | Seeds, Cuttings |
Seasonal Characteristics | Evergreen; spiny branches, fragrant spring flowers |