Kei Apple (Dovyalis caffra) is one of the most popular plants for creating strong, attractive and secure live fences and hedges in Kenya. It develops dense branches with sharp thorns, making it suitable for homes, farms, schools, commercial properties and boundary fencing. Kei Apple is commonly used as a live fence in Kenya and can be maintained through regular trimming and pruning.
Variety and Colour
Kei Apple is mainly grown for its attractive dark-green foliage rather than different coloured hedge varieties. The plant produces small pale-yellow flowers, while mature female plants can produce attractive yellow to golden fruits. This gives an established hedge a natural green appearance with seasonal splashes of yellow.
Soil Requirements
One advantage of Kei Apple hedges is their ability to grow in a wide range of soils. They can tolerate relatively poor soils and are suitable for many Kenyan growing conditions. However, they perform best in well-drained soil and should not be planted in permanently waterlogged areas or locations with a very high water table.
Fertilizer and Watering
Kei Apple is a hardy plant and does not require heavy fertilizer application to survive. Adding well-decomposed manure or compost when planting can help young seedlings establish faster. Regular watering is important when the plants are newly planted, but once established, Kei Apple is highly drought tolerant and has relatively low irrigation requirements. It is therefore better suited to normal and relatively dry areas than permanently wet ground.
Growth and Trimming
If left untrimmed, Kei Apple can develop into a large shrub or small tree and may reach several metres in height. The good news is that it responds very well to regular pruning and trimming, allowing you to maintain a neat hedge at your preferred height and width. Frequent trimming also encourages denser branching, making it an excellent choice for creating a thick security hedge or live fence in Kenya.
