Spekboom (Portulacaria afra), a hardy succulent shrub commonly grown as a hedge, is also edible and has nutritional qualities, prompting renewed discussion about why it is not eaten more widely in South Africa. Reports describe spekboom as easy to grow and capable of being cooked or prepared for human consumption.
The sources also place spekboom in an environmental context. It grows naturally in parts of the Karoo and Eastern Cape, including on steep and rocky slopes, where it can help stabilize soil and limit erosion. It is also associated with carbon sequestration, as it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While the outlets converge on spekboom’s suitability for cultivation and its broader sustainability benefits, they differ in emphasis: one focuses more on consumer attitudes and survey findings about willingness to eat it, while the other highlights ecology and environmental functions alongside its edibility.
