Olive Bush is a much-branched shrub or small tree reaching up to 5 metres (16 feet) in height. Its leaves are narrowly oblong and tapered at both ends, while its flowers, usually solitary or paired, are bilaterally symmetrical, yellow with purple spots outside, and covered in long purplish hairs inside the flower tube. The fruit is egg-shaped and yellow when ripe. This species is native to the Caribbean, Bahamas, and coastal Venezuela, and it occurs in coastal thickets, littoral or mangrove forests.
 
Olive Bush has various traditional medicinal uses. Its leaf infusion has been used for treating conditions such as diabetes, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys), hypertension, coughs and colds. Extracts from the plant were employed to control intestinal worms, insect bites, herpes, inflammation, ulcers and wounds. The leaves were steeped to brew a remedy for individuals suffering from fish poisoning.
 
In horticulture, Olive Bush is cultivated as a hedge or feature plant, especially in areas exposed to salt spray, like the coasts of Guyana, and occasionally in tropical regions as an ornamental or hedge plant. It has a light brown, thick, grooved bark, and its leaves are elliptic, crowded on the ends of the branches, and contain many small oil glands. The flowers, arranged singly on stalks in leaf axils, have hairy-edged sepals and petals joined at their bases to form a tube.
 
The plant's ability to thrive in coastal environments, along with its medicinal properties, makes it a valuable resource for both traditional medicine and horticulture.

Common Name: Olive Bush

Botanical Names:
Bontia Daphnoides

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Other Names:
Aceituna Americana
Barbados Olive
Kidney Bush
Mang Blanc
Mangle
Mangle Bobo
Oliba
Olivier Bord De Mer
White Alling
Wild Olive

Origin: Trinidad, Caribbean, Northern South America

Duration: Perennial

Habit: Olive Bush is a robust shrub or small tree that can reach heights of up to 5 metres (16 feet). Its leaves are narrowly oblong and tapered, often bearing small oil glands. Flowers, typically solitary or paired, display bilateral symmetry with yellow petals and purple spots outside, featuring long purplish hairs inside the flower tube. Fruits are egg-shaped, yellow drupes tapering at the apex.

Hardiness: Hardy