Introduction. Black plum (Vitexdoniana) is an indigenous fruit tree species importantfor the livelihoods of rural populations. Currently, there is renewednational and international interest in black plum, and it has emergedas a priority species for domestication in Africa. The present workaddressed farmers’ indigenous knowledge of the use and managementof the species among different socio-cultural groups in Benin, takinginto account gender differences. The specific objective of thiswork was to study the knowledge, uses, local gathering practices andmanagement systems of V. doniana that are partof the traditions of the communities in Southern Benin. Materialsand methods. A total of 150 participants randomly selected fromthree socio-cultural groups provided survey responses. Information collectedmainly referred to the motivation of respondents to conserve blackplum trees on their land, the local uses and the management practicesto improve the regeneration and production of the black plum. Resultsand discussion. The study showed that knowledge of black plumis well distributed in the community. However, people have differentinterests in using black plum and there is variable knowledge ofuse and management practices. The food and medicinal categorieswere the most important uses. There were no significant differencesin knowledge of the management and utility of black plum betweenmen and women, or across socio-cultural groups. Conclusion. Givenits value to the communities in southern Benin, black plum should beprioritized for domestication.