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Plants

wolf apple

Solanum lycocarpum A.St.-Hil.

Family: Solanaceae · Genus: Solanum

wolf fruit

Placenta II Low Mulch biomass 🪓 Coppices after cutting
Alan Rockefeller · CC BY · iNaturalist

Small iconic Cerrado tree, listed by Rebello among accumulation-system species used on exhausted soils in Chapada dos Veadeiros. Large yellow fruits — staple food of the maned wolf (hence the name). Tolerates fire and drought; grows fast on degraded pastures. Fruit pulp used in folk medicine against diabetes.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Solanum lycocarpum var. lycocarpum, Solanum grandiflorum sensu auct. non Ruiz & Pav.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta II
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Low
Strata
Low, Medium
Biomass class
Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Low
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
4.5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Sandy, Clayey, Loamy

Morphology

Mature height
2–5 m
Recommended spacing
3–5 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Fast
Lifespan
8–15 years
Time to first harvest
24 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Wolf apple takes the Low stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium Low · ≈5 m Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Deciduous open-crowned shrub or small tree, 1.2–5 m. Succeeds in a wide range of well-drained soils from sandy to heavy clay, and in the poor acid soils typical of the Cerrado, to 1,100 m elevation. A very drought- and fire-tolerant pioneer that colonises abandoned pasture. Seeds germinate readily in 3–4 weeks; seedlings ready 4–5 months later.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: April, May, June, July, August, September

Fruiting months: July, August, September, October, November, December, January

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of wolf apple?

The first harvest of wolf apple comes around 24 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for wolf apple?

The recommended spacing for wolf apple is 3–5 m.

How tall does wolf apple grow?

At maturity, wolf apple reaches 2–5 m tall.

When does wolf apple fruit?

Fruiting of wolf apple occurs in July, August, September, October, November, December, January.

When does wolf apple flower?

Flowering of wolf apple occurs in April, May, June, July, August, September.

What stage and stratum does wolf apple occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, wolf apple belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Medicinal 🌿 Biomass producer

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Rebello, J. F. S. (2018) — Princípios da Agricultura Sintrópica, EcoAgri , p. 18 (gotsch_stage, ecological_role)
  2. Rebello, J. F. S. (2018) — Princípios da Agricultura Sintrópica, EcoAgri , p. 40 (biomes, drought_tolerance)
  3. Useful Tropical Plants — Solanum lycocarpum (height_min_m, height_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, soil_texture_preference, light_need, drought_tolerance, propagation, cultivation_notes)
  4. Wikipedia — Solanum lycocarpum (from Cerrado phenology literature) (height_max_m, phenology)
  5. Oliveira-Filho & Oliveira (1988) / Biosci. J. — floração e frutificação de Solanum lycocarpum no Cerrado (phenology, flowering_months, fruiting_months)
  6. GBIF — Solanum lycocarpum A.St.-Hil. (external_ids)

External references

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