Guía de plantas
Marula.
Sclerocarya birrea
Pronunciación skler-oh-KAY-ree-ah BIR-ee-ah
También se conoce como Marula, Morula

The marula is a beautiful, medium sized tree native to southern Africa that produces delicious, vitamin rich fruits. It is highly valued for its oil and is a staple in its natural habitat. You will find it thrives best in warm climates with plenty of sun.
De un vistazo
- Nivel de cuidados
- Media
- Tipo de planta
- Deciduous tree
- Luz
- Full sun
- Luz en interior
- Sol directo
- Riego
- Cada 7 a 14 días
- Tamaño adulto
- 15 to 20 meters
- Ritmo de crecimiento
- Medio
- Rusticidad
- USDA 10 a 12
- Floración
- Late winter to early spring
Cuidados
Ensure the tree receives full sun and is planted in well draining soil to prevent root rot. Watch for yellowing leaves which may indicate overwatering or poor drainage. It is quite drought tolerant once established but appreciates consistent moisture while young.
- Riego
- Water deeply but allow the soil to dry out significantly between sessions.
- Abonado
- Apply a balanced fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Poda
- Prune during the dormant season to maintain shape and remove dead branches.
- Trasplante
- Repot only when the tree has clearly outgrown its container.
- Suelo
- Sandy or loamy well draining soil
- pH del suelo
- 6.0 to 7.5
- Temperatura
- 5 a 45°C
- Humedad
- 10 a 40%
- Tolerancia a la sequía
- Alta
- Longevidad
- Perennial, can live for over 100 years.
- Fragancia
- Suave
- Resistencia a ciervos y conejos
- Alta
Señales de que necesita trasplante
- Roots growing out of drainage holes
- Stunted growth despite proper care
Seguridad
- Personas
- The bark and leaves are generally safe, but the seeds should be handled with care.
- Niños
- The large, hard seeds pose a choking hazard to small children if ingested.
- Alérgenos por contacto
- The sap can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
- Alérgenos en el aire
- Pollen may trigger mild seasonal allergies in some people.
- Comestibilidad
- The fruit is edible and widely consumed, but the kernels must be processed properly to avoid any potential digestive discomfort.
Cómo identificarla
- Grey mottled bark
- Compound leaves with oval leaflets
- Small yellow flowers
- Round yellow fleshy fruit
- Altura
- 7 a 18m
- Anchura
- 5 a 15m
- Hojas
- green, yellow, deciduous
- Flores
- white, pink, 0,5 a 1cm
- Frutos
- yellow, Late summer to autumn
Problemas frecuentes
- Root rot — Occurs when the soil stays too wet for too long.
Cómo cultivarla
- Propagación
- seed, cuttings
- Cuándo plantar
- spring
- Cuidados en invierno
- Keep the tree in a frost free environment if you are in a cold climate. It requires a warm, dry winter rest period.
- En maceta
- This tree is not suitable for containers due to its large size and deep root system.
Seed propagation
- 1. Extract seeds from the hard stone.
- 2. Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
- 3. Plant in well draining soil.
- 4. Keep warm and moist until germination.
Plant in open areas with plenty of space, as this tree grows quite large and does not like competition for sunlight.
Buenas compañeras
- Vachellia — They share similar environmental needs in savanna ecosystems.
Especies parecidas
- Baobab — Both are iconic, large trees of the African savanna.
Ciencia
- Familia
- Anacardiaceae
- Género
- Sclerocarya
- Orden
- Sapindales
- Clase
- Magnoliopsida
- Distribución natural
- Southern Africa and the Sahel region.
- Conservación
- This species is not currently endangered and is widely managed in its native range.
It thrives in open woodlands and savannas, often acting as a pioneer species in disturbed areas.
- Valor para la fauna
- fruit provides food for mammals, nesting site for birds
- Polinizadores
- abejas, mariposas
- Usos
- culinary fruit, oil extraction, shade tree, traditional medicine
A lo largo del año
Indicadores ecológicos
- Salinidad
- 2/9
- Reacción del suelo
- 6/9
- Luz
- 9/9
- Temperatura
- 8/9
- Humedad
- 2/9
- Nutrientes
- 3/9
Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.
Lo que más preguntan
- Does it need a lot of water?
- No, it is highly drought tolerant once established.
- Can I grow it in a pot?
- It is not well suited for containers due to its massive size.
De dónde viene el nombre
Sclerocarya comes from the Greek words for hard and nut, referring to the stone inside the fruit. Birrea is derived from the local name for the tree in Senegal.
Bueno saberlo
- Marula fruit is rich in vitamin C.
- Elephants are known to enjoy eating the fermented fruit.
- The oil extracted from the kernels is used in skincare products.
- It is a dioecious species, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate trees.
También en
¿Tu marula tiene mal aspecto?
Esta página es una guía general. Pocket Botanist diagnostica problemas a partir de una foto de tu propia planta, calcula el riego según tu luz y tus condiciones, y te avisa cuando toca cuidarla.
Esta guía se ha generado con IA y se ha cotejado con la taxonomía de GBIF. Es información general, no asesoramiento botánico ni veterinario. Descubre cómo elaboramos estas guías.
