Thursday, September 17, 2026
Science

Spekboom is nutritious, water‑wise and edible—so why aren't more South Africans eating it?

Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an easy-to-grow succulent shrub, small tree or hedge. In the wild, it grows naturally as tall as five meters (16 feet) on steep slopes and rocky hillsides in the Karoo and Eastern Cape regions of South Africa, where it helps stabilize soil and prevent erosion. It's al...

Spekboom is nutritious, water‑wise and edible—so why aren't more South Africans eating it?
Image: Phys.org
Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an easy-to-grow succulent shrub, small tree or hedge. In the wild, it grows naturally as tall as five meters (16 feet) on steep slopes and rocky hillsides in the Karoo and Eastern Cape regions of South Africa, where it helps stabilize soil and prevent erosion. It's also a champion of carbon sequestration—removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Originally published at Phys.org

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