Maerua angolensis, commonly known as the Angola Caper, is a deciduous tree native to a variety of habitats including dry woodland, bushveld, and areas surrounding seasonal watercourses in tropical Africa. It is found at elevations up to 5906 feet, particularly in countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The Angola Caper can grow up to 33 feet tall with a rounded crown and typically has smooth grey bark with distinctive yellowish-orange patches. Its leaves are soft and drooping, providing a gentle texture to the landscape. The fragrant, cream-colored flowers are pincushion-like and bloom at the beginning of the rainy season, offering a showy display that attracts pollinators. Following flowering, the tree produces torulose fruits that resemble a string of beads, adding further interest to the plant’s appearance.

The Angola Caper is valued for its drought tolerance and ability to thrive in arid conditions, making it suitable for xeriscaping and as a feature tree in water-conserving gardens. It is also used for its medicinal properties; the leaves are consumed as a food supplement during famine and have traditional uses in treating anorexia and promoting wound healing. Additionally, it serves as a food source for game and livestock, and its foliage is a host for butterflies of the Pieridae family. In cultivation, it requires well-drained soil, tolerates a range of soil types, and prefers full sun to partial shade. While it is not commonly grown in cultivation outside its native range, it has potential for use in dry tropical and subtropical landscapes.CC BY-SA 4.0