Ximenia americana aka Tallowwood

Ximenia americana is a woody plant in the Olacaceae family. Names include tallow wood, monkey plum, and false sandalwood. It is native across tropical and subtropical regions. Its range includes Africa, South America, and the Indian subcontinent. It grows in savannah, dry woods, and coastal sites. It also occurs beside rivers and within forests.

This deciduous shrub can also form a small tree. Its spreading branches make a rounded or cone-shaped crown. The listed garden height is about 16 feet [5 metres]. Some plants reach 33 feet [10 metres], though most stay smaller. Thin, straight spines grow along the branches. The trunk rarely exceeds 0.33 feet [0.1 metres] across. The plant is often partly parasitic.

Bees pollinate the flowers, and people use their petals in soups. The round, yellow fruit looks like a small plum. Its juicy flesh has a sweet yet sharp taste. The flavour also has an almond-like note. People eat the fruit fresh or make preserves and pickles. They also ferment it into beer. Some people find that the fruit has a laxative effect. Reports list cooked young leaves and seeds as foods. However, accounts disagree about whether the seed oil is edible. This makes its use as food uncertain.

Tallow wood grows in hot lowlands and warm subtropical areas. It can withstand light frost from time to time. It grows well in full sun or light shade. It accepts sand, loam, and clay, including poor, dry soils. It prefers soil with a pH of 5–7. Reported tolerance extends from pH 4.5 to 7.5. Its preferred annual rainfall spans 400–1,250 millimetres. Fresh seed usually germinates well when sown soon after harvest.

Gardeners grow this plant for fruit, shade, hedges, and ornament. People also harvest it from the wild for many uses. Seed oil serves in soap, lubricants, and hair and skin products. Bark and crushed fruit rind have uses as flea repellents. Traditional medicine uses the leaves, twigs, roots, bark, and fruit. These records describe uses, rather than proof of safe treatment. The source lists no known hazards, despite its conflicting oil reports. It gives no specific pest or disease problems.