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Indigenous Southern African trees: Search TreeBook's trees by name

Scientific name starts with

English name starts with

Afrikaanse naam begin met

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Apodytes dimidiata

  • English name is

White pear

  • Afrikaans name is

Witpeer

  • .

It is hardy -survives a min. temperature of -2C

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, compost rich

  • Mature size?

Medium: 8m high; 8m crown

  • Plant in container?

Yes

  • It's leaf growth is

evergreen

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

non-aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on same the tree

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

up to 5m

flowers in profusion

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

no value

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden. White pear bears white flowers in profusion, which soon develop into colorful fruit - irresistible to birds

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Apodytes dimidiata
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Bauhinia galpinii | Pride-of-De Kaap | Flowering tree

Pride-of-De Kaap | Flowering shrub-like tree | Ideal for screening up to 2m height

Bauhinia galpinii

  • English name is

Pride-of-De Kaap

  • Afrikaans name is

Vlam-van-die-vlakte

  • .

It is mildly sensitive ( min. temperature is -0.5C)

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Small: 3m high; 3m crown

  • Plant in container?

Yes

  • It's leaf growth is

semi-deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

non-aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on same the tree

  • Birds?

None

  • Screening value?

up to 2m

showy flowers

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

no value

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden. Use Pride-of-de Kaap as a screen up to 2m. The tree bears beautiful red flowers

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Bauhinia galpinii
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Berchemia discolor

  • English name is

Brown ivory

  • Afrikaans name is

Bruinivoor

  • .

It is mildly sensitive ( min. temperature is -0.5C)

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Medium: 8m high; 8m crown

  • Plant in container?

Yes

  • It's leaf growth is

semi-deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

slow

  • It's roots are

non-aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Separate male and female trees

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

None

inconspicuous

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

browse leaves

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden. Brown ivory is a nicely shaped tree, ideal as a focal point or to provide dense summer shade.

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Berchemia discolor
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Berchemia zeyheri | Red ivory | Attracts fruit eating birds

Red ivory | Beautiful shade tree for a small garden | North-East of Pretoria

Berchemia zeyheri

  • English name is

Red ivory

  • Afrikaans name is

Rooi-ivoor

  • .

It is hardy -survives a min. temperature of -2C

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Medium: 8m high; 8m crown

  • Plant in container?

Yes

  • It's leaf growth is

deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

medium

  • It's roots are

slightly aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Separate male and female trees

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

None

inconspicuous

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

browse leaves

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden. Red ivory is a compact, mushroom shaped tree, ideal as a focal point.

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Berchemia zeyheri
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Bolusanthus speciousus | Tree wisteria | Stunning flowers in early spring

Tree wisteria | Typical compact form with a dense leaf structure | Pretoria

Bolusanthus speciousus

  • English name is

Tree wisteria

  • Afrikaans name is

Vanwykshout

  • .

It is very hardy (min. temperature is -6C)

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Small: 8m high; 4m crown

  • Plant in container?

No

  • It's leaf growth is

semi-deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

non-aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on same the tree

  • Birds?

None

  • Screening value?

None

showy flowers in profusion

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

browse leaves

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden. Tree wisteria has a soft, drooping branch appearance. Its stunning purple flowers are well known.

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Bolusanthus speciousus
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Boscia albitrunca | Shepherds-tree | Matopie, Witgat | Its white trunk is characteristic

Boscia albitrunca | Shepherds-tree | Matopie, Witgat | A decorative desert tree with a very deep taproot. Slow growing. The picture above was taken in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. We recon it is about 500 years old

Boscia albitrunca

  • English name is

Shepherds-tree

  • Afrikaans name is

Matopie, Witgat

  • .

It is hardy -survives temperatures as low as -2C

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Small: 5m high; 5m crown

  • Plant in container?

No

  • It's leaf growth is

evergreen

  • It's growth rate is

very slow

  • It's roots are

slightly aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

very drought tolerant

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on the same tree

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

None

inconspicuous

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

browse leaves

Gardening ideas

Shepherds-tree is a collectors' item. Under favorable conditions it may reach a height of 1.2 metres in about 4 years. However it will take many decades to develop its characteristic white trunk. Give it modest water during summer when it buds.

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Boscia albitrunca
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Brachylaena discolor | Coast silver oak | Evergreen, fast growing

Coast silver oak tree | Probably pruned to achieve this shape | Mosselbay

Brachylaena discolor

  • English name is

Coast silver oak

  • Afrikaans name is

Kusvaalbos

  • .

It is hardy -survives a min. temperature of -2C

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Medium: 10m high; 6m crown

  • Plant in container?

No

  • It's leaf growth is

evergreen

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs modest water

  • Sexes?

Separate male and female trees

  • Birds?

None

  • Screening value?

up to 10m

flowers in profusion

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

no value

Gardening ideas

Suitable for planting in large and very large gardens only. Ideal as a screen up to 5m, or as a wind break.

More information? 

Brachylaena discolor
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Bridelia micrantha

  • English name is

Mitzeerie

  • Afrikaans name is

Mitserie

  • .

It is mildly sensitive ( min. temperature is -0.5C)

  • It will grow in soil type:

clay soil

  • Mature size?

Medium: 10m high; 10m crown

  • Plant in container?

No

  • It's leaf growth is

semi-deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs much water

  • Sexes?

Male and female flowers on same the tree

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

up to 10m

inconspicuous

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

browse leaves

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a small garden if pruned. Bridelia micrantha is semi-deciduous with striking autumn colors.

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Bridelia micrantha
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Buddleja glomerata | Karoo sage | Evergreen screening tree for a small garden

Buddleja glomerata | Karoo sage | The striking silver color of the leaves makes it an attractive garden subject. | Mountain Zebra National Park

Buddleja glomerata

  • English name is

Karoo sage

  • Afrikaans name is

Karoosalie

  • .

It is very hardy (min. temperature is -6C)

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, sandy

  • Mature size?

Small: 2m high; 3m crown

  • Plant in container?

Yes

  • It's leaf growth is

evergreen

  • It's growth rate is

medium

  • It's roots are

non-aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Drought tolerant

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on same the tree

  • Birds?

None

  • Screening value?

up to 2m

inconspicuous

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

no value

Gardening ideas

Suitable for a very small garden if pruned. Use Buddleja glomerata striking silver look as a color contrast in the garden. It is frost hardy, drought tolerant and ideal as focal point or screen up to 2m high.

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Buddleja glomerata
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Calodendrum capense | Cape chestnut | Flowering tree | hardy

Cape chestnut | Stunning flowers in profusion | George area

Calodendrum capense

  • English name is

Cape chestnut

  • Afrikaans name is

Wildekastaiing

  • .

It is hardy -survives a min. temperature of -2C

  • It will grow in soil type:

well-drained, compost rich

  • Mature size?

Medium: 8m high; 8m crown

  • Plant in container?

No

  • It's leaf growth is

semi-deciduous

  • It's growth rate is

fast

  • It's roots are

slightly aggressive

  • It's drought tolerance?

Needs much water

  • Sexes?

Bisexual flower on same the tree

  • Birds?

Fruit eaters

  • Screening value?

None

showy flowers in profusion

  • Flowers?

  • Value to game?

no value

Gardening ideas

Suitable for planting in a large garden as focal point or shade tree. Calodendrum capense bears spectacular pink flowers

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Calodendrum capense
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