Spekboom is nutritious, water-wise and edible – so why aren’t more South Africans eating it?

Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) is an easy-to-grow succulent shrub, small tree, or hedge.

In the wild, it grows naturally to up to five metres tall on steep slopes and rocky hillsides in the Karoo and Eastern Cape regions of South Africa, where it helps to stabilise soil and prevent erosion. It’s also a champion of carbon sequestration – removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.