Cercestis mirabilis (African Embossed Plant)
Botanical name: Cercestis mirabilis
Common name: African Embossed Plant
Family: Araceae
Origin: Tropical Africa
The flowers are quite small but they produce a grape size, edible, olive green or orange colored fruit. Cercestis mirabilis, commonly known as African Embossed Plant, is a small shrub reaching up to 2-5 feet tall in maturity. It hails from the tropical region of Africa and is a popular ornamental foliage plant. It prefers semi-shaded positions and regular water, and is hardy from USDA zones 9-11.
Its attractive and unusual triangular shaped leaves are green with a unique white-silver marking that slowly fades as the plant matures. As the young plants or shoots grow the leaf blades are not perforated, however as it enters the adult growth stage the perforations start to form.
The flowers of Cercestis mirabilis are quite small but they produce a grape-sized, edible fruit which can range in color between olive green to orange.
The plant also has ethnomedical uses as the young leaves and inflorescences are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, and is considered a healthy food source due to its relatively high Vitamin A content.
In terms of growing the African Embossed Plant, it requires a bit of maintenance. Even though it is quite resilient and can manage long dry seasons, optimal growth is achieved when the plant is watered regularly. For those living in colder regions, growing the African Embossed Plant in a container or pot allows it to be easily transferred to avoid harsh winter climates.
