Desert Date. Desert date, Soapberry tree

Balanites aegyptiaca

Physical Characteristics

Balanites aegyptiaca is an evergreen Tree growing to 6 m (19ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

Distribution

Africa - most of the drier areas except the far south, extending to Arabia.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Fruit Leaves Oil Seed Shoots Stem Edible Uses: Drink Oil The fleshy pulp of both unripe and ripe fruit is edible and can be eaten dried or fresh[46 , 303 ]. It has a slightly astringent taste and can be purgative in larger quantities[774 ]. The fruit is processed into a drink and sweetmeats in Ghana, an alcoholic liquor in Nigeria, a soup ingredient in Sudan[303 ]. The ellipsoid fruit is up to 4cm long[303 ]. Brown or pale brown when fully ripe, with a brittle coat enclosing a brown or brown-green sticky pulp and a hard stone seed[303 ]. Young leaves and tender shoots are used as a vegetable[46 , 303 ]. They are prepared by boiling and pounding, and are then fried or mixed with fat[303 ]. The flowers are a supplementary food in West Africa and a flavouring in Nigeria[303 ]. They are sucked in order to obtain their nectar[303 ]. A greenish-yellow to orange-red resin is produced from the stems. It is sucked and chewed when fresh[303 ]. The kernels produce an edible oil used for cooking[303 ]. The oil remains stable when heated and has a high smoking point, and therefore its free fatty acid content is low[303 ]. Its scent and taste are acceptable[303 ]. The seed contains up to 50% oil[774 ].

Medicinal Uses

Antiasthmatic Antidiarrhoeal Antiperiodic Dysentery Emetic Epilepsy Febrifuge Malaria Purgative Stomachic Vermifuge It is traditionally used in treatment of various ailments including jaundice, intestinal worm infection, wounds, malaria, syphilis, epilepsy, dysentery, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoid, stomach aches, asthma, and fever. It contains protein, lipid, carbohydrate, alkaloid, saponin, flavonoid, and organic acid. The roots are purgative and vermifuge[46 ]. A decoction of the root is used to treat malaria[303 ]. The roots are boiled in a soup to be used in the treatment of oedema and stomach pains[303 ]. They are also used as an emetic[303 ]. The bark is purgative and vermifuge[46 ]. An infusion of the bark is used to treat heartburn[303 ]. The bark is used to deworm cattle in Rajasthan[303 ]. Wood gum, mixed with maize meal porridge, is used to treat chest pains[303 ]. The plant is a potential source of steroidal sapogenins (diosgenin) for the hemisynthesis of corticosteroids[317 ].

Known Hazards

The plant contains saponins[303 ]. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K ].