ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AT
THABA ECO HOTEL
TREE NO. 611
Bladder-Nut
Scientific Name: Diospyros whyteana
Family: Ebenaceae
The bladdernut is an evergreen shrub or small tree adorned with glossy, dark green leaves fringed with ginger hairs, smooth blackish-grey bark, and sweetly scented, creamy bell-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. Multi-stemmed, it grows into a dense, rounded or pyramidal crown, occasionally displaying bright red or orange leaves alongside striking reddish-brown, papery fruit pods that resemble little balloons. These pods, encasing scarlet berries that ripen in summer, persist for months.
Found from South Africa’s forests and rocky slopes all the way up to Ethiopia, the bladdernut thrives in diverse habitats. Its name, derived from the Greek “diospyros” (meaning “divine pear”) and honouring Scottish explorer Alexander Whyte, ties it to the Ebenaceae family—home to ebony and persimmons.
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TREE NO. 215
Black Wattle Tree
Scientific Name: Peltophorum africanum
Family: Fabaceae
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TREE NO. 605
Bluebush
Scientific Name: Diospyros lycioides
Family: Ebenaceae
The bluebush is a tough, versatile shrub or small tree, characterised by its smooth, dark grey-to-brown bark, drooping branches, and striking blue-green leaves. Depending on the climate, it grows at varying rates—sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly—reaching up to 5 meters with an open crown.
From September to December, it bursts into tiny, creamy yellow, bell-shaped flowers that release a sweet fragrance at night, attracting bees and insect-loving birds. From January to May, female plants bear deep-red, marble-sized berries that ripen to black.
From September to December, it bursts into tiny, creamy yellow, bell-shaped flowers that release a sweet fragrance at night, attracting bees and insect-loving birds. From January to May, female plants bear deep-red, marble-sized berries that ripen to black.
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TREE NO. 594
Blue Guarri
Scientific Name: Euclea crispa
Family: Ebenaceae
The blue guarri is a single-stemmed tree that grows 2–6 meters tall with a spread of 2–4 meters. Its dense crown is packed with small, leathery blue-to-grey leaves that vary in shape, complemented by bark that starts smooth and grey, aging into a rough, dark brown surface often speckled with lichen. From October to February, it blooms with sweet-scented, whitish-green to yellow bell-shaped flowers that hum with bees, followed by reddish-brown to black single-seeded fruits that ripen later, attracting birds and antelope.
Native to southern Africa, the blue guarri thrives from the Eastern Cape up past South Africa’s northern border, flourishing in bushveld, grasslands, and rocky slopes. Its name, derived from the Greek “eukleia” (glory) and “crispa” (wavy-edged leaves), reflects its place in the Ebony family (Ebenaceae), where its tough wood echoes the qualities of prized ebony.
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TREE NO. 718.1
Bride's Bush
Scientific Name: Pavetta lanceolata
Family: Rubiaceae
The Bride Bush is an evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching 5 to 7 meters in height with a neatly branched, upright form. Its glossy, dark green, leathery leaves—dotted with bacterial nodules and releasing a spicy, potato-like scent when crushed—frame a stunning display of pure white, sweetly scented flowers from September to January, peaking in November and December. These tubular blooms, with green-tipped lobes, gradually develop into small, pea-like black drupes by February, persisting on the tree until July or August.
Common in South Africa’s summer-rainfall regions, from Limpopo to the Eastern Cape and into Mozambique, it thrives in bush clumps, forest edges, and along riverbanks. A member of the Rubiaceae family, its name may trace back to Sri Lankan or Indian origins—possibly from “pawatta” or “pavetta”—while “lanceolata” refers to its lance-shaped leaves, which display a distinctive mosaic-like pattern.
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TREE NO. 447
Buffalo-Thorn Tree
Scientific Name: Ziziphus mucronata
Family: Rhamnaceae
The buffalo thorn is a small to medium-sized tree, typically 3 to 10 meters tall but occasionally reaching 20 meters. It has a spreading canopy and distinctive twigs adorned with paired thorns—one straight, one hooked—symbolizing life’s twists and turns. Its glossy green, serrated leaves turn golden in autumn, providing a striking contrast to its tiny, nectar-rich yellow-green flowers (October to February) and shiny, reddish-brown fruits (March to August), which often persist after the leaves have fallen.
Native to sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Arabia, the buffalo thorn thrives in thorny woodlands, grasslands, and along stream banks. Its deep roots not only anchor it in harsh conditions but also signal the presence of underground water.
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TREE NO. 133
Bush-Cherry Tree
Scientific Name: Maerua cafra
Family: Capparaceae
The common bush-cherry is a slow-growing, evergreen tree—sometimes taking 3–7 years to reach 1 meter—known as “white-wood” or “witbos” for its light-colored trunk. This shrub or small tree stretches 2–9 meters tall and bears compound leaves with 3–5 leaflets on a long, 60 mm petiole. In early spring, from August to October, it bursts into fragrant white flowers. These blooms, featuring slender, spider-like stamens tipped with green, cluster at the branch tips and fill the air with sweetness.
From October to December, oval, plum-like fruits—up to 45 mm long, pale green with dark ribs—emerge, softening into a sweet-scented treat that birds adore. This versatile plant thrives across South Africa’s eastern side, from Humansdorp up to Gauteng and Zimbabwe, flourishing in bushveld, wooded grasslands, and rocky spots. It can shrink to a low bush on dry dunes or stretch into a 9-meter tree, depending on its environment.
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TREE NO. 733
Camphor Bush
Scientific Name: Tarchonanthus camphoratus
Family: Asteraceae
The camphor bush stands out with its silvery-grey foliage. This tree, growing 2–9 meters tall, thrives in harsh inland conditions from coast to desert. Often forming dense thickets, it spreads a wide, V-shaped canopy. Its pale brown bark and narrow, grey-green leaves—paler and fuzzy underneath with subtle veins—lend it a soft, muted glow, while crushed leaves release a bold camphor scent.
From March to November, creamy-white flowers bloom in clusters at the branch tips, with male and female flowers appearing on separate trees. These blossoms give way to fluffy, woolly fruit heads that resemble cotton puffs and carry a potent fragrance. Widespread across northern South Africa (including Limpopo, Gauteng, and the Free State) and extending into tropical Africa and Arabia, this resilient species is well-adapted to diverse landscapes.
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TREE NO. 692
Cape Gardenia
Scientific Name: Gardenia thunbergia
Family: Rubiaceae
The Cape Gardenia is an evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching 2 to 5 meters in height. It has glossy, light green leaves and a smooth, whitish stem. From October to March, its large, creamy-white flowers unfurl from tightly furled buds, releasing a rich, heady fragrance—especially at night. Its hard, greyish-green, egg-shaped fruits, speckled with white encrustations, can persist on the plant for years.
Native to South Africa’s eastern coast, from Grahamstown to Kosi Bay, it thrives in evergreen forests, woodlands, and bushveld margins. A member of the Rubiaceae family, it is named after botanist Carl Thunberg and Dr. Alexander Garden. Unlike many of its relatives, its flowers do not yellow with age, and its fruits lack the distinctive ribbing seen in some other gardenia species.
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Cape Myrtle
Scientific Name: Myrsine africana
Family: Myrsinaceae
The Cape myrtle is a slow-growing evergreen shrub, reaching 1–2 meters over time. Its woody stems sprout short, upward-pointing branches, adorned with glossy dark green, oval leaves—soft and deep red when young, toughening into a leathery texture with finely toothed edges as they mature.
Found from the Cape to tropical Africa and Asia, it thrives on rocky krantzes, in fynbos, and within forests across South Africa’s varied rainfall zones. Part of the Myrsinaceae family—named from the Greek “myrtus” for myrtle—Myrsine africana represents a lineage that includes two South African species and extends to ten across Africa and China.
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Cheesewood
Scientific Name: Pittosporum viridiflorum
Family: Pittosporaceae
The cheesewood is an evergreen that ranges from a 4-meter shrub to a towering 30-meter forest tree, featuring pale brown-to-grey bark dotted with white lenticels. Its glossy, dark green leaves, broader above the middle, frame sweetly fragrant, greenish-white flowers that bloom from November to December. These blossoms yield yellow-brown capsules that split open to reveal sticky, shiny orange-red seeds.
Widespread from South Africa’s Western Cape to tropical Africa, Arabia, and India, it thrives in forests, scrub, kloofs, and along streams, adapting effortlessly to varied altitudes. Named from “pitta” (pitch) and “sporum” (seed) for its resinous seeds, and “viridiflorum” (green-flowered) for its blooms, Pittosporum viridiflorum carries a rich heritage, notably introduced to St Helena by the Dutch in the 17th century.
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TREE NO. 392
COMMON WILD CURRaNT
Scientific Name: Searsia pyroides
The common wild currant is a shrub or small-to-medium tree that often bears a few spines and rugged grey bark, lending it a distinctive character. Its leaves are a standout feature—compound and trifoliate, consisting of three oval leaflets that taper at both ends. These leaflets, measuring up to 70 x 30 mm, feel smooth or velvety on top and slightly hairy beneath, with raised veins adding subtle texture.
When in bloom, it produces understated greenish flowers clustered among the leaves and branch tips. From summer to late autumn, its branches droop under the weight of numerous small, round fruits, which ripen into a striking mix of white and red.
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TREE NO. 494
Common Wild Peach Tree
Scientific Name: Kiggelaria africana
Family: Achariaceae
The wild peach is an evergreen tree with smooth, pale grey bark that roughens over time and a low-branching form. It bears variable, peach-like leaves and tiny, yellow-green bell-shaped flowers from August to January. These blooms, split between male and female trees, give way to hard, knobbly greenish-yellow capsules from February to July, which split open to reveal shiny black seeds wrapped in a vivid orange-red coat. It can soar up to 20 meters in forests or remain compact on rocky koppies.
Native across Africa, from Kenya to the Western Cape, this species thrives in forests, bushveld, and along streams. Named after Franz Kiggelaer, a Dutch curator, and tagged “africana” for its African roots, Kigelia africana is a wildlife haven, attracting birds like hornbills and mousebirds.
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TREE NO. 471
Common Wild Pear Tree
Scientific Name: Dombeya rotundifolia
Family: Malvaceae
The wild pear is a deciduous beauty, welcoming spring with a blizzard of white, fragrant blooms from July to September. Though its flowers resemble those of true pears, it shares no relation with the Pyrus genus of the Rose family. This fast-growing tree (1–1.5 meters per year) matures to 3–10 meters, forming a rounded crown above its dark, corky, fire-resistant bark. Its nearly round leaves, dusted with star-like hairs, frame delicate blossoms that persist as they dry—eventually turning brown and drifting away with the ripening fruit capsules.
Native from KwaZulu-Natal to Ethiopia, the wild pear flourishes in woodlands and rocky slopes. Its botanical name, Dombeya rotundifolia, honors French botanist Joseph Dombey, with rotundifolia referring to its rounded leaves. A wildlife favourite, it attracts bees and butterflies with its nectar, while the Ragged Skipper butterfly larvae feast on its foliage.
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TREE NO. 226
Cork Bush
Scientific Name: Mundulea sericea
Family: Fabaceae
The cork bush boasts a silvery sheen and vibrant purple blooms. This shrub or small tree, ranging from 0.5 to 7.5 meters (and occasionally up to 12), features a bushy crown of slender branches draped in soft, silver-grey leaves and showy, pea-like flowers that bloom from October to February. As autumn arrives, its silky, silvery pods—stretching up to 100 mm—persist into winter, adding charm against the pale, corky, fire-resistant bark.
Widespread across southern Africa—from South Africa to Namibia, Angola, and extending to Madagascar and India—Mundulea sericea thrives in the sandy or gravelly soils of grasslands, savannas, and rocky ridges. Named for its “neat” (Latin “Mundulea”) and “silky” (Latin “sericea”) leaves, it’s a magnet for birds and insects.
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Cross-berry
Scientific Name: Grewia occidentalis
Family: Malvaceae
The cross-berry is a shrub or small tree, reaching up to 3 meters with a distinctive scrambling growth habit. From October to January, it produces striking purple, star-shaped flowers (1.5–3 cm wide), which give way to unusual four-lobed fruits that ripen from shiny reddish-brown to deep purple between January and May. Its glossy, deep green leaves fan out toward the light, making it a familiar sight from South Africa’s Western Cape to Zimbabwe, where it thrives in karoo scrub, coastal dunes, and wooded grasslands.
Named after English physician Nehemiah Grew, with occidentalis referring to its western range, this hardy shrub supports a variety of wildlife. Black rhinos, giraffes, and birds like louries feast on its fruits, while its foliage provides a home for butterfly larvae, including the rufous-winged elfin.
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TREE NO. 636
False Olive Tree
Scientific Name: Buddleja saligna
Family: Scrophulariaceae
The false olive is a tree that can tower up to 10 meters in warm, moist regions or settle at a modest 4–5 meters in the Highveld. Its young, four-angled stems shimmer with white velvety hairs, maturing into creamy to dark brown, fluted trunks with peeling bark. The long, narrow leaves—dark green above, whitish beneath with prominent veins—mimic the true olive tree, inspiring its name.
From August to January, it bursts into tiny, honey-scented creamy white flowers in dense sprays, followed by hairy capsules cradling minute seeds from October to March. Widespread from the Western Cape to Zimbabwe, it thrives on dry hillsides, forest edges, and coastal bush alike.
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TREE NO. 602.2
Fire Sticks Tree
Scientific Name:
Diospyros austro-africana
Family: Ebenaceae
The fire sticks, or ‘Austro-africana’, is a shrub or small tree adorned with lantern-like flowers in shades of cream, pink, and red. Standing between 2 and 10 meters tall, this multi-stemmed plant has a rounded shape and dusty grey leaves covered in fine hairs, lending it a soft, velvety appearance.
Its pendulous flowers bloom from August to November, attracting birds, butterflies, and insects, while its round, fleshy fruits ripen from red to black between January and June. With medium to dark brown bark that flakes in strips, it’s as resilient as it is striking, thriving across South Africa in a variety of climates.
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TREE NO. 403.1
Fire Thorn
Scientific Name: Putterlickia pyracantha
Family: Celastraceae
The fire thorn is a spiny, multi-stemmed shrub (2–3 meters) or a small tree (4–6 meters). Its grey-waxy bark peels to reveal pale lenticels, while arching stems are armed with sharp, 50 mm spines and leathery, dark green leaves. From November to January, star-like, creamy flowers bloom in loose clusters (60–100 mm), transforming into fiery-red showstoppers. By February to August, pendulous, obconical fruits (10–20 mm) ripen from cream to red or purple, cradling orange-ariled seeds.
Widespread from South Africa’s Western Cape to Mozambique, the fire thorn thrives in dune forests, fynbos, and thickets and is classified as Least Concern. Named after Dutch botanist Aloys Putterlick, its botanical name, Pyracantha, means “fiery-red thorns”—a tribute to its striking fruit and formidable spines.
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TREE NO. 669.4
Healing-Leaf Tree
Scientific Name: Solanum giganteum
Family: Solanaceae
The healing-leaf tree is a multi-branched shrub or small tree, growing up to 6 meters tall, with woolly-haired branchlets and stout prickles. Its large, elliptic leaves (up to 250 × 90 mm) have a dark green upper surface and a velvety silver underside, softening with age. From dense, faintly scented corymbs, white to purple flowers (15 mm wide) bloom, eventually giving way to smooth, globose berries. These fruits ripen from green to vivid red or purplish-red, often lingering for six months or more, sometimes alongside fresh blossoms.
Widespread from sub-Saharan Africa to southern India, the healing-leaf tree thrives in moist forest margins and clearings across South Africa (excluding the Free State and Northern Cape), preferring rich, well-drained soils. Its botanical name, Solanum giganteum, comes from Latin—solanum meaning “comfort” (a nod to its healing properties) and giganteum referring to its unusually tall stature for a Solanum species.
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TREE NO. 162
Hook-Thorn Tree
Scientific Name: Senegalia caffra
Family: Fabaceae
The hook-thorn often reaches up to 14 meters with a sprawling, irregular crown, though it can remain shrubby in certain areas. Its bright green, feathery leaves droop gracefully, lending the canopy a soft, inviting feel, especially when tender new shoots emerge in spring. From September to November, creamy white, sweetly scented flower spikes take center stage, peaking in October against the fresh foliage, followed by slim, straight brown seed pods.
Found across South Africa—from coastal scrub to highveld grasslands—this tree thrives in diverse habitats, spanning the northern provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of the Eastern and Western Cape. Once known as Acacia caffra (from “point” and a reference to eastern South Africa), it’s now classified as Senegalia, named after Senegal.
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TREE NO. 433
Jacket-plum Tree
Scientific Name: Pappea capensis
Family: Sapindaceae
The jacket plum is an evergreen tree, growing 2 to 8 meters tall, with a dense crown of wavy, oblong leaves that transition from toothed to smooth as they mature. From September to May, delicate greenish flowers hang in catkins, followed by velvety, round fruits that split open between December and July, revealing red flesh encasing dark seeds.
Widespread from South Africa’s Northern Cape to tropical Africa, it thrives in bushveld, rocky outcrops, and even termite mounds, displaying remarkable resilience to heat, cold, and drought. A close relative of the litchi, this juicy gem is named after botanist Carl Pappe, with Pappea capensis reflecting its Cape origins.
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TREE NO. 410
Kooboo-Berry Tree
Scientific Name: Mystroxylon aethiopicum
Family: Celastraceae
The kooboo-berry is an evergreen, small to medium-sized, multi-stemmed tree that can reach up to 12 meters. Its young branches, fuzzy with short grey hairs, bear lush, glossy dark green leaves—paler underneath—while its older stems are clad in rough, dark bark. From early spring to late summer, small, yellowish-green flowers bloom in the leaf axils, giving way to sweet, fleshy fruits that transition from yellowish-green to bright red by late autumn to early winter.
Widespread across bushveld, forests, rocky ridges, and even termite mounds, it thrives from South Africa’s Cape through the northeastern parts of the continent, extending to Madagascar and beyond. From October to December, oval, plum-like fruits—up to 45 mm long, pale green with dark ribs—emerge, softening into a sweet-scented treat that birds adore. This versatile plant thrives across South Africa’s eastern side, from Humansdorp up to Gauteng and Zimbabwe, flourishing in bushveld, wooded grasslands, and rocky spots. It can shrink to a low bush on dry dunes or stretch into a 9-meter tree, depending on its environment.
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Miniature Pine Tree
Scientific Name: Crassula Tetragona
Family: Crassulaceae
The Miniature Pine Tree is an evergreen succulent shrublet, growing up to 1 meter tall with a woody stem and an upright or spreading habit. Its needle-like, lance-shaped leaves, arranged in opposite pairs, curve upward to form a dense, dark green cloak. From late spring to summer, creamy white flowers bloom in dense, flat-topped clusters, gradually fading to orange.
With six subspecies, this hardy plant is a karoo and fynbos staple, dotting rocky slopes from Namaqualand to the Eastern Cape. Its name comes from the Latin “crassus” (thick) and “tetragona” (four-sided), referring to its distinctive leaf arrangement.
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Mountain Aloe
Scientific Name: Aloe marlothii
Family: Asphodelaceae
The mountain aloe is a single-stemmed succulent that typically grows 2–4 meters tall, occasionally stretching to 6 meters. Its broad, spiny leaves—light green to bluish and up to 1.5 meters long—form a dramatic rosette, edged with maroon teeth and often fringed with old, dried leaves below. From May to September, a candelabra-like inflorescence rises, bearing up to 30 slanted racemes of orange-red, yellow, or bright red flowers.
Found from South Africa’s North-West province to Zimbabwe and Mozambique, this aloe thrives in warm, frost-light mountain ranges like the Drakensberg. Named for botanist Rudolf Marloth and derived from the Greek “aloe” for its bitter juice.
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TREE NO. 563
Mountain Cabbage Tree
Scientific Name: Cussonia paniculat
Family: Araliaceae
The mountain cabbage tree is an evergreen. This short, thick-set beauty rarely exceeds 5 meters and features sparse branches, gnarled, corky grey bark, and a stout stem. Its standout feature is its huge, grey-green leaves, resembling cabbage-blue fans, which shrug off frost thanks to a protective waxy coating. These leaves, composed of 7–9 leaflets (sometimes up to 13), can stretch up to 60 cm across.
From January to April, in regions from the Karoo to Gauteng, small green flowers bloom in dense, spiky clusters at the branch ends, buzzing with bees, wasps, and flies attracted to their pungent nectar. By May to June, these flowers give way to fleshy, purple-maroon fruits that birds eagerly devour.
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TREE NO. 387
Mountain Karee
Scientific Name: Searsia Leptodictya
The mountain karee (Searsia leptodictya) is a shrub or small tree that can grow up to 9 meters tall, though it typically reaches 3–4 meters. It’s a bird magnet, a hardy survivor, and even a source of homemade brew. With an irregular, sometimes arching crown and rough, dark brown bark, this plant stands out in its environment. Its bright green, toothed leaflets, arranged in sets of three, emit a resinous scent when crushed and often drop in winter in colder areas.
From December to April, tiny yellowish flowers appear in sprays—on separate male and female trees—followed by clusters of small, squarish drupes from March to June. These fruits, which transition from yellow to red-brown, attract birds like bulbuls and thrushes.
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TREE NO. 730
Mountain Silver Oak Tree
Scientific Name: Brachylaena rotundata
Family: Asteraceae
The mountain silver oak is a small to medium-sized tree or shrub, reaching up to 8 meters tall in the wild. This tree boasts drooping branches and silvery-grey leaves that take on a reddish blush in autumn. Its young branches begin covered in fuzzy white hairs, which give way to small bark openings (lenticels) as they mature, while the leathery, elliptical leaves measure 40–100 mm long.
In spring, yellow thistle-like flowers emerge, clustered in showy terminal panicles (up to 400 mm long) or shorter racemes nestled among the leaves. These dioecious blooms—male and female on separate trees—often appear before the leaves, with female flower heads distinguished by larger, hairy pappi. By the season’s end, tiny nutlets with tawny bristle tufts (about 5 mm) follow. Native to regions beyond South Africa, including Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, it thrives in open woodlands, rocky slopes, and stream banks across provinces like Gauteng and Limpopo.
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TREE NO. 503
Mulberry Tree
Scientific Name: Trimeria grandifolia
Family: Salicaceae
The wild mulberry is a semi-deciduous tree, growing 3 to 10 meters tall with a single stem and an irregular canopy. Its large, glossy dark green leaves—almost circular, with saw-like teeth and 5 to 9 bold veins—begin velvety and golden, maturing to a smooth, shiny finish. From August to February, tiny greenish-white flowers bloom on separate male and female trees, followed by mulberry-like clusters of yellow to pinkish-red fruits from February to April. As the fruits ripen, they split open to reveal black seeds surrounded by red arils.
Native from South Africa’s Cape provinces to Mozambique, the wild mulberry thrives along forest margins and swampy lowlands. Its botanical name, Trimeria grandifolia, comes from the Greek tris (“three”) and meris (“part”), referring to its floral structure, while grandifolia highlights its large leaves.
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TREE NO. 568
Parsley Tree
Scientific Name:
Heteromorpha arborescens
The parsley tree is a small-to-medium deciduous tree or straggly shrub with smooth, papery bark that peels off in horizontal flakes, revealing satin-like surfaces and ring-like scars. With four varieties contributing to its charm, this tree’s appearance varies across its extensive range, stretching from South Africa’s eastern regions through the Cape and Free State, and northward into parts of northern Africa.
Its leaves, light green to grey-green, turn vibrant yellow and red in autumn and release a parsley-parsnip scent when crushed. From December to January, small, strong-smelling green or yellow flowers bloom in umbrella-like clusters, followed by creamy-brown winged fruits that appear from April onward.
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TREE NO. 355
Pencil Cactus
Scientific Name: Euphorbia Tirucalli
Family: Euphorbiaceae
The Pencil Cactus is a succulent tree, typically 3-5 meters tall, but in lush conditions, it can stretch up to 10 meters. Its cylindrical, glabrous-green branches form brush-like crowns, while older trees develop grey, rough bark with knobs and ridges. Tiny, short-lived leaves (12 x 1.5 mm) appear briefly, leaving behind subtle scars. From September to December, yellow flowers cluster at the branch tips, followed by hairy, tripartite capsules (12 mm) that ripen pale green with a pink blush by November-December, releasing smooth, dark brown seeds.
Its milky latex, which oozes freely when cut, is toxic but helps it withstand harsh environments. Abundant from South Africa’s Eastern Cape to Ethiopia, the Pencil Cactus thrives in bushveld, savanna, and rocky outcrops, often forming dense, protective thickets.
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TREE NO. 657
Puzzle Bush
Scientific Name: Ehretia rigida
Family: Boraginaceae
The puzzle bush is a small tree or shrub with a multi-stemmed, untidy rounded crown and drooping, tangled branches. Growing up to 9 meters tall, it features smooth grey bark on newer branches and a rougher texture on older ones. Its leaves, clustered at the branch tips, vary from smooth to stiffly hairy.
In spring, dense clusters of sweet-scented, pale mauve, blue, or white flowers—just 7 mm wide—brighten the branches, with male and female blooms appearing on separate plants. By summer, these give way to round fruits that shift from orange to red and ripen to black, attracting birds and wildlife. Widespread across South Africa’s eastern half, as well as Botswana, Eswatini, and Lesotho, it thrives in wooded grasslands, bushveld, and karroid landscapes.
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TREE NO. 55
Red Leaved Fig Tree
Scientific Name: Ficus ingens
Family: Moraceae
The red-leaved fig is a semi-deciduous tree that can soar up to 10 meters—or higher—with a sprawling crown stretching as wide as 30 meters. Its smooth grey bark cracks with age, while heart-shaped, leathery leaves emerge coppery-red, fading to dull green with bold yellow veins. This evergreen exudes milky latex when broken and produces small, stalked figs—white at first, then pink to purple—year-round, with a peak in summer.
Found from South Africa’s Eastern Cape to Ethiopia and West Africa, it thrives on rocky outcrops and cliffs, its roots splitting stone as it anchors into bushveld and coastal zones. Named from the Latin “Ficus” (fig) and “ingens” (huge), Ficus ingens carries a puzzling moniker since it’s not the genus’s largest—though tales like “Moffat’s Tree,” a hut-laden specimen from 1829.
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TREE NO. 637
Sagewood
Scientific Name: Buddleja salviifolia
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Sagewood is a semi-evergreen shrub that can reach up to 4 meters under the right conditions, bursting with fragrance in early spring. Its dark green leaves, wrinkled and puckered on top, are cloaked in whitish or brown hairs beneath, varying from broad to narrow. From August to October, it dazzles with large panicles of tiny flowers—ranging from white to lilac or near-purple—filling the air with a sweet scent.
Common across southern Africa, from the Western Cape to tropical regions like Zimbabwe, this shrub thrives in diverse landscapes. Named for 17th-century botanist Rev. Adam Buddle and its sage-like leaves (“salviifolia” from Latin), Buddleja salviifolia is one of seven Buddleja species in the region.
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Silver Dollar
Scientific Name: Crassula Arborescens
Family: Crassulaceae
The Silver Dollar is a succulent shrub or small tree, growing up to 3 meters tall, with a thick, fleshy trunk wrapped in smooth, green-grey bark. Its blue-grey, waxy leaves—thick, rounded, and edged in red—stand out sharply against karroid scrub. In spring and summer, it erupts in dense clusters of star-like flowers, ranging from white to pink, which later dry into papery brown remnants. By November to January, small seeds ripen within 6 mm follicles, dispersing on the wind.
This resilient plant has two subspecies—arborescens and the wavy-leaved undulatifolia—and is found from South Africa’s Little Karoo to KwaZulu-Natal, flourishing in rocky, sun-drenched fynbos and renosterveld. Unthreatened and abundant, it stores water in its leaves and stems, relying on shallow roots and sun-reflecting foliage to withstand drought. Its botanical name, Crassula arborescens, derives from Latin—crassus meaning “thick” and arborescens meaning “tree-like”.
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TREE NO. 253
Small Knobwood
Scientific Name: Zanthoxylum capense
Family: Rutaceae
The small knobwood is a multi-branched tree, typically reaching 5 meters but capable of growing up to 15 meters, found from the Western Cape to Zimbabwe. Its bark starts off smooth and light grey on young branches but darkens and develops distinctive knobs with straight thorns as it matures. Its glossy, dark green, compound leaves—dotted with glands—release a citrusy aroma when crushed. In season, the tree produces sweet-scented, greenish-white flowers, followed by red, splitting capsules that reveal shiny black seeds.
A protected species under South Africa’s National Forests Act, the small knobwood thrives in woodlands and on rocky slopes. It is rich in potent alkaloids like sanguinarine. Its scientific name, Zanthoxylum capense, derives from the Greek zanthos (“yellow”) and xylon (“wood”), with capense referring to its Cape origins.
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TREE NO. 399
Spike-Thorn Tree
Scientific Name: Gymnosporia buxifolia
Family: Celastraceae
The spike-thorn is an evergreen large shrub or small tree, typically reaching 3–7 meters. From July to April, with a peak from spring to early summer (August to November), it transforms into a floral spectacle. Its small, white-to-cream flowers, clustered along spiny branches, emit a scent that ranges from funky and foetid to sweet, attracting flies, bees, and butterflies in droves. The plant features variable, toothed leaves and bark that shifts from smooth light brown to dark with corky fissures, complemented by sharp spines ranging from 3.5 to 100 mm long.
By late season, it bears leathery, wrinkled fruit capsules—white to greyish-brown and up to 7 mm wide—packed with seeds encased in a yellow aril. Tough as nails, it thrives across southern Africa’s grasslands, fynbos, and bushveld, from the Cape to Limpopo and extending into tropical Africa. Cold-hardy, drought-resistant, and adaptable, it flourishes on rocky slopes, termite mounds, and beyond.
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TREE NO. 94.2
Sugarbush
Scientific Name: Protea repens
Family: Proteaceae
Sugarbush, a fynbos shrub reaching 1 to 4 meters in height, produces chalice-shaped flower heads that bloom in hues ranging from creamy white to deep red. Depending on the region, these blossoms appear in either summer or winter. What we commonly call its “flowers” are actually dense clusters of small blooms, framed by vibrant bracts, which eventually transform into distinctive brown, cone-like seed heads.
Native to South Africa’s southwestern and eastern Cape, from the Bokkeveld Escarpment to Grahamstown, it thrives in diverse landscapes—flats, coastal slopes, and mountains up to 1,500 meters. The genus Protea, named after the shape-shifting Greek god Proteus, reflects the plant’s remarkable variety. Despite its upright growth, it was curiously named Protea repens (“repens” meaning creeping). Once South Africa’s national flower, it held this title until 1976, when the King Protea (Protea cynaroides) took its place.
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TREE NO. 172
Sweet Thorn Tree
Scientific Name: Vachellia karroo
Family: Fabaceae
The Sweet thorn tree has a rounded crown branching low on the trunk, it can reach up to 12 meters in wet areas, featuring red bark on young branches that darkens and roughens with age. Its finely textured, dark green leaves set the stage for a stunning summer display of yellow pompon flowers, buzzing with insects from early summer onward, followed by flat, crescent-shaped seed pods that dry and release their seeds.
Widespread from the Western Cape to Zambia and Angola, this tree thrives in diverse habitats like sweet veld grasslands and bushveld, often signaling water and fertile grazing land. Named from the Greek “akis” (point) and “karroo” (an old spelling of Karoo).
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TREE NO. 581
Transvaal Milkplum
Scientific Name: Englerophytum magalismontanum
Family: Sapotaceae
The milkplum is an evergreen tree, growing 3 to 15 meters tall depending on its habitat—reaching greater heights in forests and staying shorter on rocky ridges. Its greyish, scaly bark and russet-haired branchlets frame glossy, dark to blue-green leaves with a silvery, waxy sheen, turning golden-brown when young. From June to December, small, star-shaped, brownish-pink flowers—slightly pungent in scent—cluster on both old and new wood. These are followed by bright red, milky-latex-filled berries from December to February, which crowd the stems and give the tree its common name.
Rich in Vitamin C (40 mg per 100 g), these juicy fruits are a favourite among baboons, monkeys, and butterfly larvae. The tree thrives in South Africa’s Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, extending beyond, and its botanical name, Englerophytum magalismontanum, honours the Magaliesberg mountain range.
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TREE NO. 100
Transvaal Sumach
Scientific Name: Osyris lanceolata
Family: Santalaceae
The Transvaal Sumach, also known as the rock tannin-bush, is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub or small tree, growing 2 to 6 meters tall. Its smooth, dark bark contrasts beautifully with its blue-green, leathery leaves and young branches. From September to February, tiny yellowish-green flowers appear, followed by fleshy fruits that ripen from yellow to vivid red or purple-black between May and September, adding a splash of color that attracts birds.
Native to South Africa’s Eastern Cape and extending into central Africa, it thrives on rocky outcrops, bushveld, and forest edges, embodying both resilience and beauty. Its scientific name, Ozoroa lanceolata, comes from the Greek ozos (“branch”) in reference to its branching growth, and lanceolata for its lance-shaped leaves. Unlike its coastal cousin, Colpoon compressum, this hardy plant is a partial root parasite, tapping into the roots of neighbours like Grewia while still producing its own food.
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Tugela Cliff Kalanchoe
Scientific Name: Kalanchoe Longiflora
Family: Crassulaceae
The Tugela Cliff Kalanchoe is a succulent shrublet, reaching up to 400 mm tall, with sprawling, decumbent branches that curve upward. Its fleshy, quadrangular stems and limpet-shaped, blue-grey leaves—flushed pinkish-red at the edges—are coated in a waxy bloom. From May to June, it produces loose clusters of yellow, tubular flowers (11-14 mm long), adding a delicate contrast to its rugged habitat.
Rare and vulnerable, this species clings to cliff faces and shale slopes in KwaZulu-Natal’s Tugela basin, thriving at 800 to 1,700 meters. Named for its “long flowers,” it is one of 13 Kalanchoe species found in southern Africa, distinguished from the shorter-tubed Kalanchoe sexangularis.
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TREE NO. 702
Wild Medlar
Scientific Name: Vangueria infausta
Family: Rubiaceae
The wild medlar is a shrub or small tree, reaching 3 to 7 meters in height. It flourishes in South Africa’s woodlands, grasslands, and stony koppies, from the Eastern Cape to the Northern Cape. Its greyish-yellow bark peels in strips, while its velvety, light green leaves add to its soft, textured appeal. In spring (September to October), its acorn-shaped buds unfurl into small, greenish-white flowers.
By summer (January to April), it produces glossy, apple-flavoured fruits that transition from dark green to light brown, offering a sweet-sour treat enjoyed by both wildlife and foragers.), Olea europaea subsp. africana is a small-fruited cousin of the commercial olive.
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TREE NO. 617
Wild Olive Tree
Scientific Name: Olea europaea
Family: Oleaceae
The wild olive is an evergreen gem with a dense, spreading crown—up to 9 x 12 meters—clad in glossy grey-green to dark-green leaves that shimmer greyish underneath. Its rough, grey bark peels in strips, adding rugged charm, while tiny, fragrant white-to-greenish flowers bloom from October to February, yielding small, purple-black fruits (sweet or sour) from March to July.
Widespread across Africa, from the Mascarene Islands to Arabia and China, it thrives on rocky hillsides, stream banks, and woodlands, reaching up to 12 meters in ideal conditions. Named from the Latin “olea” (olive), “europaea” (European), and “africana” (African), Olea europaea subsp. africana is a small-fruited cousin of the commercial olive.
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TREE NO. 267
White Seringa Tree
Scientific Name: Kirkia acuminata
Family: Kirkiaceae
The white seringa is a straight-stemmed tree, growing 6 to 18 meters tall with a lush, rounded crown. Its sticky young leaves are compound, featuring 6 to 10 narrowly ovate leaflets that blaze gold and red in autumn. From October to December, small greenish-cream flowers bloom, later giving way to four-angled, woody capsules (10–20 mm) that split open to release seeds. With yellowish-brown, soft wood and a trunk up to 0.8 meters wide, it stands out in bushveld and lowveld from Gauteng to Tanzania, thriving in deep sandy soils or rocky hills.
Named after explorer Sir John Kirk, with acuminata referring to its pointed leaflets, this tree holds cultural significance in Zimbabwe, where women weave its bark fibers, and in Gauteng, where it traditionally guards livestock kraals.
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TREE NO. 409
White Candlewood Tree
Scientific Name: Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus
Family: Celastraceae
The white candlewood is an evergreen bush or tree whose appearance adapts to its surroundings. In forests, it can stretch up to 20 meters with a tall, straight trunk, while in open coastal scrub, it transforms into a dense, low-spreading bush. Its leaves, ranging from yellow-green to glossy dark green, have a tough, leathery texture that snaps crisply when bent. In early summer, small, sweet-scented creamy-white flowers bloom, followed by striking, horned orange fruits that split open to reveal reddish-black seeds.
This versatile plant thrives across a wide range of habitats, from the coast north of Saldanha Bay to the Eastern Cape, and even inland in areas like Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
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TREE NO. 39
White Stinkwood Tree
Scientific Name: Celtis africana
Family: Cannabaceae
The white stinkwood can soar up to 25 meters in forests but remains a 12-meter garden gem, with a straight trunk and a dense, semi-circular canopy. Its pale grey to white bark—smooth when young but peeling with age—stands out against its tender, bright green spring leaves, which darken as they mature. These toothed, triangular leaves feature three bold veins, adding to their distinctive look. From August to October, tiny, star-like greenish flowers bloom, followed by yellow-brown to black berry-like fruits from October to February, dangling elegantly on slender stalks.
Widespread from the Cape Peninsula to Ethiopia, the white stinkwood thrives in forests, grasslands, and rocky slopes up to 2,100 meters. Its botanical name, Celtis africana, derives from the Latin Celtis (lotus) and africana (African). Despite its “stinkwood” name, it bears no relation to true stinkwood (Ocotea bullata)—the misleading moniker comes from the odour of its freshly cut wood.
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Zebra Succulent
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis Fasciata
Family: Asphodelaceae
The Zebra succulent belongs to a genus of dwarf succulents, native to southern Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, and Swaziland. These stemmed shrubs grow up to 400 mm tall, with leaves that vary widely in shape, size, and texture, often adorned with distinctive, raised tubercles.
Their wiry inflorescences produce small, bilabiate white flowers with darker veins, blooming primarily in spring and summer. Once pollinated, the fruits split into three-chambered capsules, releasing tiny black seeds.
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