About
Balanites aegyptiaca (also known as the Desert date, Egyptian balsam and Lalob in Sudan) is a species of tree, classified as a member of either the Zygophyllaceae or the Balanitaceae. This tree is native to much of Africa (excluding South Africa, Namibia, Madagascar, Senegal and Tunisia) and parts of the Middle East (from Syria south to Yemen). It can be found in many kinds of habitat, tolerating a wide variety of soil types, from sand to heavy clay, and climatic moisture levels, from arid to subhumid. It is relatively tolerant of flooding, livestock activity, and wildfire. Plant in well-drained soil in a suitable position. Water during establishment.
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About the genus
Balanites is an Afrotropical, Palearctic and Indomalayan genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. The name Balanites derives from the Greek word for an acorn and refers to the fruit. It was coined by Alire Delile in 1813.
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