# Ochna atropurpurea

Ochna atropurpurea is a beautiful shrub with bright yellow flowers and purple fruits. It is often found in gardens and parks, making it a lovely addition to nature's colors.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas
- **Also known as:** Mickey Mouse Plant

![Ochna atropurpurea](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ochna_atropurpurea.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Ngô Trung, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ochna_atropurpurea.JPG)

## Appearance

The Ochna atropurpurea is a captivating shrub with glossy, dark green leaves and vibrant yellow flowers that appear in spring. After blooming, the sepals turn bright red, cradling shiny black berries, giving it a unique, 'Mickey Mouse' appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Ochnaceae
- **Genus:** Ochna

## Interesting facts

- After its sunny yellow petals fall, the plant often becomes even more colorful!
- It's sometimes called 'Carnival Bush' because of its festive red and black fruits!
- Its bright red sepals act like tiny flags, guiding birds to its tasty seeds!
- The red parts holding the seeds are actually modified leaves, not petals!

## Special abilities

- **Persistent Charms:** Ochna atropurpurea has bright red sepals that remain vibrant after flowers fade, helping to attract birds to its ripening black fruits for seed dispersal.
- **Thirsty Survivor:** Ochna atropurpurea can endure dry spells thanks to its robust root system, allowing it to thrive in less watered environments.
- **Seed Scatterer:** Ochna atropurpurea produces numerous seeds within its fruit, allowing it to readily self-seed and establish new plants effectively.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-200 cm
- **Spread:** 100-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Olive Thrush (*Turdus olivaceus*) — Feeds on the ripe black berries, helping spread seeds.
- **Eats:** Cape Bulbul (*Pycnonotus capensis*) — Consumes the small black fruits, aiding in seed dispersal.
- **Pollinates:** African Carpenter Bee (*Xylocopa caffra*) — Efficiently pollinates the Ochna's bright yellow blossoms.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look, but don't touch plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Ochna atropurpurea?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Ochna atropurpurea?

100-200 cm

### How wide does Ochna atropurpurea spread?

100-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on Ochna atropurpurea?

2-3 cm

### When does Ochna atropurpurea bloom?

Spring-Summer

### Is Ochna atropurpurea edible?

No

### Is Ochna atropurpurea toxic?

None

### What is Ochna atropurpurea's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Ochna atropurpurea: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ochna-atropurpurea)