Prinsepia utilis Royle

A shrub which loses its leaves during the year. It grows to about 2 m high. The branches have sharp spines. These can be 5 cm long. The leaves have stalks. They are alternate. The leaves are 6-7 cm long by 0.5-3 cm wide. The are sword shaped and taper to the tip. They have slight teeth. The flowers have stalks. They are white and in short groups in the axils of leaves. The fruit is fleshy with a hard covering over the seed. The fruit is oblong and purple when ripe.

It is a temperate plant. In Nepal it grows between 1300-2900 m altitude. It grows in sunny, open places. In India it is in Garhwal Himalayas. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Yunnan.

The ripe fruit are eaten. The seed oil is used for cooking. It is edible.

Plants are grown from seed or branch cuttings.