Croton gratissimus aka Lavender Fever Berry

Croton gratissimus is a shrub or tree in the Euphorbiaceae family. It grows across tropical and southern Africa. Its range reaches from Senegal east to Sudan and Ethiopia. It extends south to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. It lives in savannah and along forest edges. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropics. Useful Tropical Plants reports a large population across this broad range. It records an IUCN assessment of Least Concern from 2019.

This deciduous plant can take more than one form. As a shrub, it has several stems. Shrubs reach about 10 feet [3 metres] tall. Trees have a slim trunk and a V-shaped crown. The reference gives a height of 33 feet [10 metres]. It also sets this limit for the southern range. Elsewhere, trees can reach 66 feet [20 metres]. The bark has scales, and the leaves look silvery. Rust-coloured scales cover the undersides of the leaves. These traits help explain its use as an ornamental tree.

People plant it in towns and villages for its appearance. They also gather material from wild plants for local use. Its bark gives off a scent when cut. The fruits and young branches also have a scent. People use the fruits as a spice in food. They use the seeds to add flavour to tea. Useful Tropical Plants gives it a low food-use rating. The source reports no known hazards, but gives no detailed safety assessment.

The plant supplies materials for scents and skin-care products. People crush the fruits into a powder for cosmetic use. They also dry and grind young branches to make perfume. A seed extract serves as a skin-conditioning ingredient in commercial cosmetics. The wood is hard, pale yellow, and fine-grained. It takes a good polish. People use the stems for hut posts and beams. This use occurs where other timber is not available.

Traditional medicine uses the bark, leaves, shoots, roots, and seeds. Reported uses include remedies for fever, dysentery, and bleeding gums. These records describe local practice, not proven treatment results. For propagation, the source recommends sowing fresh, ripe seed. It specifies a sunny nursery bed for this stage. Seeds may sprout within 20–30 days. The supplied evidence gives no species-specific frost limits or pest guidance.