A small, scrambling, deciduous tree from the Myrtaceae family, reaching a height of about 3m in its local habitat of South Africa. In England of course, it's a slightly different matter as it has to be container grown and size and shape can be controlled with annual pruning. Its purple, star-shaped flowers appear in summer and continue through to early winter and can be extremely attractive to birds and butterflies. In Africa these are followed by distinctive four-lobed berries (from where it gets its common names "crossberry" and "four-corner"). These shiny reddish-purple fruits remain on the tree for long periods.

The natural range of this plant extends from Cape Town in the south, across South Africa,to Mozambique in the north and inland as far as Zimbabwe.

The berries are eaten locally, either fresh and raw, fermented with traditional beer, or used with goats milk to make berry yoghurt, although I have to say I have never eaten one myself.

Click on the photo below to enlarge...

Greweia

Grewia occidentalis