The apple tree bears apples. The pear tree bears pears. The apricot tree produces apricots. And the plum tree bears plums. However, the butter tree, which grows up to two meters high and is also called botterboom in Namibia – its Latin name is Tylecodon paniculatus – has beautiful leaves, but you cannot make butter from them.

There is a small butter tree in a clay pot on our garden seating area. Brigitta dug it up a few years ago on a short trip through Damaraland, in the north of Namibia. What an experience when large, green leaves grow from its thick trunk. Last year he produced three of them. This year five are sprouting; and they grow so quickly that you feel like you can watch them.

At the end of April, the butter boom will shed its leaves. And when we come back to Namibia in September, all we see is the pear-shaped trunk of the butter tree. Its leaves only begin to sprout in January, which is a unique experience every time. It’s just a shame we can’t make butter out of it…

PS: If you want to know more about the butter tree, read here.