The Marula tree can be traced back to 10,000 B.C. as a source of nutrition.  It is probably most known for having fruit that “drives elephants mad”.  These trees have multiple uses from the bark, the leaves, and the fruit. They produce flowers from September to November and then from January to March, they produce fruit.  They are very suited for the climate as they do well in drought conditions.

The fruit from the Marula trees are edible and very high in Vitamin C.  It is estimated that they have 8 times the amount of VitaminC as an orange.  They are about the size of a plum with the white juicy flesh inside.  Not only can they be eaten, but can be cooked and made into jams, juices and alcoholic beverages.  They are also brewed into beer  By boiling the skin of the fruit, a drink can be made or burnt to be a coffee substitute.

   The bark is very soft and can used in carvings, in making rope, or made into a light brown dye.  The bark is also known for containing antihistamines.  It is used as a malaria prophylactic and in the treatment of dysentery and diarrhea. 

Inside the fruit is a walnut-sized hard seed, rich in protein, which is surrounded by two or more edible kernals, rich in oil.  The oil is extracted from the fruit and used in cooking, as a meat preservative and in skin and hair care.  It has been proven to protect against dry, cracked skin and to protect leather.  Marula oil contains a similar fatty acid composition to olive oil however it is 10 times more stable to oxidation.  Marula oil has been shown to have free radical scavenging properties higher than most oils on the market.

The leaves attract many butterflies, including the magnificent green lunar moth, whose large silkworm-like cocoons, are used by Southern Africans, as ankle rattles for dancing.  The leaves are also eaten to relieve heartburn or used in relishes.  The hard wood makes excellent kitchen utensils.

Since Marula trees are deciduous, they have a specific gender. This fact contributes to the belief among the Venda that bark infusions can be used to determine the gender of an unborn child. If a woman wants a son the male tree is used, and for a daughter, the female tree.  If the child of the opposite gender is born, the child is said to be very special as it was able to defy the spirits.