Erythrina lysistemon The coast coral tree

Family :      Fabaceae  the legume family

Subfamily:  Papilionoideae

English :     Coast coral tree

Zulu:           uMsinsi

German:      Korralenbaum

Erythrina lysistemon occurs over a wide area in a wide range of altitudes and habitats from about the Mbashe River Mouth in Eastern Cape northwards to KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Gauteng, Mpumalanga North West Province and Limpopo.  It grows in scrub forest, wooded kloofs, dry woodlands, dry savannah, and coastal dune bush and also in high rainfall areas.

In our area Erythrina lysistemon is found growing in abundance very often as a pioneer tree on sandy soils.

Erythrina lysistemon is a small to medium-sized, deciduous tree with light to medium green leaves and brilliant orange to dark red flowers, there is also a pink variety which was discovered in Zululand and brought into cultivation by Dr Ian Whitton in the late 1960´s. Erythrina lysistemon presents a very striking sight when it brings forth its brilliant orange to dark red flowers on branches free of leaves in the dry winter months.

Erythrina lysistemon is a very rewarding tree that grows very rapidly in particular on poor nutrient deficient soils providing large amounts of bright red flowers and nectar for a large range of birds in the winter months. The flowers produce abundant nectar that attracts many nectar-feeding birds and insects, which in turn attract the insect-feeding birds.

The fruit is a slender green pod which turns black at maturity. The pod splits while still attached to the tree exposing bright red 'lucky bean' seeds.

Erythrina lysistemon provide ideal light shade for a whole range of ground cover plants that need a little shading and as a bonus they are provided with nitrogen due to the nitrogen fixing bacterial in the roots of the tree. If the tree is trained by removing the lower branches are removed.

In recent years Erythrina lysistemon has become very popular as a feature tree in landscaping because of its good clean sculptured growth form, spectacular display when in flower and in particular large mature trees can transplanted with ease at any time of year.

Erythrina lysistemon being a small tree suits even the smallest of urban gardens, in my own garden I have eight specimens and intend to plant a few more this season.

Barbets and woodpeckers hollow out  nest chambers in the trunks of dead trees which later become the homes to many other small hole nesting birds, such as starlings, grey headed sparrows, black tits and others.

Erythrina lysistemon is widely used and enjoyed by mankind. They have been regarded as royal trees, and were planted on the graves of Zulu chiefs. They were planted as living fences around kraals, homesteads and waterholes, and were one of the first wild trees to be planted in gardens in South Africa. The end of the flowering season traditionally has signaled the time to plough and to plant seeds for the next season’s crops.

South African Erythrinas are well known and grown in many other countries with suitable climates in particular in the USA

Erythrina lysistemon is flower on the Ecoman logo.

Erythrina caffra is another very similar but much larger specie is that grows in our area.

English :  Common coral tree

Zulu:        uMsinsi

Erythrina caffra occurs naturally in coastal forests and along wooded rivers northwards along the east coast from the Humansdorp district to just north of Port Shepstone  and again  from lake St. lucia to Lake Sibayi in  Zululand

The branches are armed with prickles, which might serve as protection to herbivores especially when trees are still young. Fully grown trees are fairly drought resistant and can withstand several degrees of frost.

Erythrina caffra should be planted in sunny places in well-drained soil. It can tolerate quite moist soils as it often grows on the banks of rivers and streams. The trees will also put up with dry conditions and poor soils; however, they do not respond well to excessively cold conditions.

Propagation of Erythrina

Both Erythrina lysistemon and Erythrina caffra are best grown from fresh seed because seedlings grow very rapidly and under ideal conditions if fresh seed is planted can produce their first flowers in their first growing season.  Soak the seed in warn water until they swell before planting for rapid results, scarifying the seed will speed up the process.

They can also be grown from large truncheon cuttings but if grown from old wood from a matured tree tend to develop much slower and do not develop to their fully potential. Truncheon cuttings are branches measuring at least 50 mm in diameter with most of the smaller twigs with leaves removed.  The truncheon is planted just deep enough so that it does not fall over, staking would be helpful. Do not plant deeper that 500 mm into the soil.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

11.07.15

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Soap Aloe

Aloe maculata

Family : Asphodelaceae

English : soap aloe

Aloe maculata gets its common English name soap aloe from its previous name aloe saponaria  which is derived  from the Latin word  “sapo”, which means soap because the sap from the leaves makes a soapy lather in water.

Maculata means speckled or marked

Distribution and habitat

Aloe maculata is a leaf succulent found growing in full sun in grassland and on steep exposed road cuttings in and around Durban often very close to the sea. This species has a wide distribution from the Cape Peninsula through the Western and Eastern Cape Province, into the eastern Free State and Lesotho, through KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga to the Inyanga District in Zimbabwe. Plants usually prefer the milder coastal climates but are also found as a component of the higher altitude Drakensberg flora. They occur in a variety of habitats, ranging from rocky outcrops to thicket and grasslands.

Description

Aloe maculata is a very variable species that hybridizes easily with other similar Aloes, sometimes making it difficult to identify. The broad, triangular leaves vary considerably in length and shape, but are mostly recurved towards the dried, twisted tips. The leaves range in colour from red to green, but always have distinctive "H-shaped" spots. The flowers are similarly variable in colour, ranging from bright red to yellow, but are always bunched in a distinctively flat-topped raceme. The inflorescence is borne on the top of a tall, multi-branched stalk and the seeds are reputedly poisonous. They grow as low to medium growing individual plants in small colonies.

Reproduction

Aloe maculata reproduce by means of root suckers which are produced in profusion in healthy actively growing plants that are well nourished and are supplied with plenty of water during the growing season.  The suckers can be separated from the mother plant and planted on their own as soon as they have reached a reasonable size. Aloe maculata can also be propagated very easily from seed which are preferably planted in raised beds open to the ground.

Decorative value

This is a must have plant for every garden.

Aloe maculata plants are most decorative having medium glossy green leaves and a very neat growth habit, they produce spectacular orange flowers in profusion in mid-winter, in my garden in Mount Moreland they usually start flowering in late June the first flowers usually opening in the first weeks of July.

Aloe maculata is planted around the world as a popular landscape plant.  In warm desert regions - especially in the United States, it is the most popular ornamental aloe in the Tucson, Arizona area, and is also popular in California.

I was amazed to discover that Aloe maculata also grows very well in the cold wet conditions encountered in Auckland New Zealand

Growing Aloe maculata

This is a very easy plant to grow being able to grow under a large range of different climatic regions as well as being able to be grown in soils that range from sand to heavy clay.

Plants are damaged by temperatures below 0°C, but recover quickly. In a suitable climate, soap aloes require little attention once established.

In their natural habitat Aloe maculata are able to withstand long periods of drought due to being leaf succulents as well as having a good strong root system with a good water storage capacity.

Although Aloe maculata will survive under very harsh conditions in very low nutrient soils they do far better when supplied with a growing medium that is well enriched with well-rotted organic matter and are well watered during the growing season. A regular application of fertilizer will also work wonders.

Aloe maculata is very salt tolerant which makes them a good choice for seaside gardens.

Suitability as a green roof plant

Aloe maculata is one of a number of local plant species which are presently being tested by me for their suitability to be grown as Green Roof plants in the Durban region. Over a five year period I have found them to be excellent green roof subjects, in fact my research has found them to be one of the best plants that have been tested to date.

Pests and diseases

They are rather prone to attack by a wide range of insects which included scale and mealy bug that attack the roots, these mealy bugs appear to be introduced to the plants by ants which tend and protect them from their natural enemies. They are also attacked by leaf miner insects, snout beetles moles and mites.

Aloe Snout Weevils

Aloe Snout Weevils belonging to the family Curculionidae, the Lesser Aloe Weevil Rhadinomerus illicitus being a particularly destructive specie

The Aloe Snout Weevil is grey, dark brown to black in colour. They are between 15mm-25mm in length. The adult Aloe Snout Weevil feeds on the sap it obtains by puncturing the aloe leaves causing circular lesions 3mm in diameter which leave unsightly marks on the aloe leaves.  The Aloe Snout Weevil lays its eggs at the base of the aloe leaves, the larvae bore into the stem just below the crown of the plant which often causes the entire plant to die.

For comprehensive information on Snout weevil Damage Done to Aloes go to Kumbula Nursery Blog at

http://kumbulanursery.co.za/blog/snout-beetle-damage-done-to-aloes

White Scale insects

The white scale insects become visible as neat white rows on the leaves, especially on the lower surfaces. If untreated, the entire plant will eventually be covered by the insects and may die.

The roots and stems are also eaten by mole rats which can completely destroy a whole colony in a very short period of time

Aloe cancer or gall mite

Very often the first sign of gall mite noticed when a flower spike starts to emerge from the plant all crooked and bent with signs of a cancerous looking growth on it which develops into unsightly galls on the flower spike as it matures. Aloe cancer may also start as an irregular growth on the base of some of the older leaves, often where an earlier inflorescence has dried.

Gall mites are minute insects that travel through the air.

When encountered cut off and destroy by burning or disposing of with the house refuse.

Then treat the cut as well as the whole plant can be sprayed with a systemic insecticide at the manufacturer's recommended application rate. Keep an eye open for signs of infection on nearby plants.

Biodiversity value

This aloe can make a valuable contribution to increasing bio-diversity in any landscape in particular in Mount Moreland.

Aloe maculate flowers which can be bright red, orange or yellow are a rich source of nectar which attract pollinating insects in particular honey bees. Without a doubt the main pollinating agent of the Aloe maculata is sunbirds as it is carefully designed to accommodate them. At Mount Moreland they are the aloes in my own garden that attract more sunbirds by far than any of the other aloes, attracting in particular White Bellied and Black Sun birds which feed on their nectar with a lesser number of olive sunbirds. This winter I have seen the very beautiful scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis) on my plants. Unfortunately to date I have not been able to get a photo of it. The widespread planting of this aloe in Mount Moreland would have a dramatic effect on the population of sunbirds that can be supported during the winter months including hopefully the scarlet chested 

This photograph of a scarlet-chested sunbird was very kindly loaned to me by the photographer Hugh Chittenden see his bird photos at  http://www.birdinfo.co.za/index.htm

Uses and cultural aspects

The sap from the leaves is used as a substitute for soap.

The Soap Aloe is highly adaptable and is naturally found in a wide range of habitats across Southern Africa, from Zimbabwe in the north, to the Cape Peninsula in the south. Specifically, it is native to southern and eastern South Africa, south-eastern Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Naturalised Distribution

This species is widely naturalised in south-eastern and eastern Australia (i.e. in south-eastern Queensland, in some parts of central and northern New South Wales, in southern and western Victoria and in Tasmania. Also naturalised on Lord Howe Island, Norflok Island and sparingly naturalised in south-eastern South Australia.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

11.07.15

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Aloe pluridens French Aloe

Family    Xanthorrhoeaceae
Subfamily    Asphodeloideae

The specie name pluridens is derived from two words pluri = many and dens = teeth which refers to the many teeth on the leaf margins.

A group of Aloe pluridens growing against the boaundary fence at my natural aloe and grassland garden at Mount Moreland

Distribution and habitat of Aloe pluridens

It occurs naturally from the Eastern Cape to just north of Durban in KwaZulu  Natal where it is normally found growing on cliffs and in the shade of coastal bush. It is particularly common in the Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and the Albany areas where the rosettes may be seen above the surrounding bush.

Description

Aloe pluridens is a very attractive aloe which is usually single-stemmed or may be branched it bears numerous small plantlets on the lower stems. Aloe pluridens is a tall aloe, occasionally reaching up to 5-6 m high. The leaves are bright yellowish to bright green. The leaf margin is armed with numerous teeth. The leaf sap is clear with a strong, rhubarb-like smell.

The inflorescence is attractive, branched with up to 4 racemes protruding above the leaves. The flowers are usually orange or pinkish-red, but a yellow form is also known. Up to three inflorescences may be borne from each rosette. The flowers that are produced from May to July attract sunbirds and bees which in my garden at Mount Moreland often attract Fork tailed Drongos which feed on the bees. This winter the beautiful Scarlet Chested Sunbird which normally occurs much further north has been attracted to the numerous aloes, Kniphofias and Erythrinas trees  that I have flowering in my garden.

Growing Aloe pluridens

Aloe pluridens is extremely easy to grow preferring partial shade for the hottest time of day.  Aloe pluridens will grow in poor soils with little attention but will do much better if it is planted in a large hole that has first been enriched with well-rotted compost and fertilised at least once a year at the beginning of the growing season with a balanced granular fertiliser. 

Irrigation

Although Aloe pluridens is drought tolerant, it thrives and flowers better if adequate irrigation is provided in the summer months.

Propagating Aloe pluridens

Aloe pluridens is extremely easy to propagate which is best done by simply removing the numerous plantlets on the stem and planting them.

The numerous suckers growing on the main stem of Aloe pluridens can clearly be seen

The removal of the side plantlets that are produced in large numbers stimulates the plant to produce more giving a continuous supply of propagating material which makes is possible to quickly produce ever larger numbers of this spectacular aloe. Aloe pluridens can also be grown from seed which they do not produce in large numbers. When vegetatively propagated always propagate from a number of mother plants so that your entire collection does not consist of the clones of one single plant to allow for cross pollination and the production of seed which will hopefully spread to and grow in your neighbours garden.

Landscape value

Aloe pluridens has a high landscape value both as a feature plant where it can be planted as a single plant or as an extensive mass plantings to create a focal point or to define a boundary. Massed plantings provided a brilliant splash of colour during the dry winter months. This aloe is a must for every coastal garden irrespective of whether it is planted entirely to local  indigenous plants or exotic foreign plants

Ecological value

Aloe pluridens is a good source of nectar for birds and bees during the dry winter months

Pests and diseases

Aloe Snout Weevils

Aloe Snout Weevils belonging to the family Curculionidae, the Lesser Aloe Weevil Rhadinomerus illicitus being a particularily destructive specie

The Aloe Snout Weevil is grey, dark brown to black in colour. They are between 15mm-25mm in length. The adult Aloe Snout Weevil feeds on the sap it obtains by puncturing the aloe leaves causing circular lesions 3mm in diameter which leave unsightly marks on the aloe leaves.  The Aloe Snout Weevil lays its eggs at the base of the aloe leaves, the larvae bore into the stem just below the crown of the plant which often causes the entire plant to die.

For comprehensive information on Snout weevil Damage Done to Aloes go to Kumbula Nursery Blog at

http://kumbulanursery.co.za/blog/snout-beetle-damage-done-to-aloes

White Scale insects

The white scale insects become visible as neat white rows on the leaves, especially on the lower surfaces. If untreated, the entire plant will eventually be covered by the insects and may die.

Medicinal uses of Aloe Pluridens

The sulphur-containing compound Pluridone found in the roots of Aloe pluridens has been proven in trials to effectively control coccidia in poultry.

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

06.06.15

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Star flower Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Syn.         Hypoxis rooperii

Family :    Hypoxidaceae (Star lily family)

Zulu:         iNkomfe

English:    Star flower

German:  Afrikanische Kartoffel

Hypoxis hemerocallidea flower being visited by a honey bee

Distribution and habitat 

Hypoxis hemerocallidea occurs naturally in Botswana, Lesotho Swaziland and

South Africa where it is to be found in the eastern summer rainfall provinces of the Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo. Hypoxis hemerocallidea occurs in a wide range of habitats, including sandy hills on the margins of dune forests, open grassland, rocky grassland, dry stony, grassy slopes, mountain slopes and plateaus and road verges.

  

Description 

Hypoxis hemerocallidea is a very attractive perennial with a large dark brown corm which is yellow on the inside when freshly cut turning black with time due to oxidation.

Hypoxis hemerocallidea has strap like leaves which grow up to 400 mm in lenght, neatly arranged one above the other in 3 ranks, broad, stiff and arching outwards with prominent ribs and tapering towards the tips. The lower surface of the leaves is densely hairy with white hairs. Leaves appear above ground in spring before the flowers.

The flowers are short-lived and close at midday. Flowers open sequentially from the base to the apex. Usually 1–3 flowers are open at the same time, thus encouraging cross-pollination.

The fruiting capsule is called a pyxis which splits along its diameter causing the upper portion of the capsule to drop off, exposing the black seeds that soon tip out.

The specific name hemerocallidea is derived from the Greek hemera (a day) and kallos (beauty), presumably referring to the flowers which are short-lived and resemble the day lily Hemerocallis.

  

Hypoxis hemerocallidea corm showing the yellow flesh on the inside

Ecology 

Hypoxis hemerocallidea is drought and fire-tolerant occurring widely in grassland where frequent fires are a feature of the ecological regime. 

Being deciduous Hypoxis hemerocallidea is dormant in winter the leaves having matured and died in the late summer as the ground gets drier and re-appear immediately after fire and begin to flower even in the middle of winter in frost free areas, often before the first summer rains. Fire clearly defines the beginning of the growing season.

The flowers of Hypoxis hemerocallidea are pollinated in particular by bees as well as other pollinators.

I have observed that it is browsed by indigenous domestic livestock in particular in the early spring after veld fires.

  

Uses and cultural aspects

iNkomfe (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) which is widely sold in many muthi markets, is probably the best known traditional medicinal plant in South Africa having been used for centuries, in recent years commercial products have become widely available in pharmacies.

Weak infusions and decoctions of the corm are used as a tonic and during convalescence, and against tuberculosis and cancer. It is also used for prostate hypertrophy, urinary tract infections, testicular tumours, as a laxative and to expel intestinal worms. Anxiety, palpitations, depression and rheumatoid arthritis are further ailments treated.

Hypoxis hemerocallidea has been very much in the limelight during the past two decades often being hailed as “miracle muthi” and “wonder potato”, today it is surrounded by controversy.

  

Hypoxoside a phytochemical has been isolated from Hypoxis hemerocallidea. This is an inactive compound which is converted to rooperol in the body, which has potent pharmacological properties relevant to cancer, inflammations and HIV.

Another compound which has been isolated from Hypoxis is sitosterol or phytosterol, which is an immuno-enhancer. Sitosterols are found in many green plants, and this is the main component of the commercial product ‘Moducare'.

A dye which is used to blacken floors is made from the leaves and corm.

The leaves are used to make rope.

Growing Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Hypoxis hemerocallidea is a hardy very attractive drought and frost tolerant deciduous geophyte that is extremely easy to grow which is an asset to any landscape or garden. It grows well in most soil types in full sun to partial shade where it flowers freely throughout summer. The yellow star-like flowers are eye-catching.

  

Propagating Hypoxis hemerocallidea

If one has a little patience Hypoxis hemerocallidea is easily propagated in large numbers from the vast numbers of small round shiny black seed that each plant produces. The seeds of Hypoxis hemerocallidea grow particularly well in raised seedbeds open to the ground for free drainage, however they have a dormancy period of about a year that needs to be taken into account, so collect the seed and store it in a cool dry place for planting in the next growing season. Making a fire over the seed once it has been planted as in most grassland species both grasses and forbs helps to break dormancy as well as stimulates the seed to germinate.

Use in the landscape

No indigenous or natural garden should be without masses of this very attractive local plant, use could also be made of Hypoxis hemerocallidea in formal landscape design where it can be either inter-planted with plants such as succulents that remain green during its winter dormancy or the beds which are planted to it can be attractively mulched with bark chips or other materials until it re-sprouts at the end of it´s winter rest. In the absence of fire watering will cause it to re-sprout earlier after a short dry rest period.

Hypoxis hemerocallidea has proved to be a very suitable plant for extensive green roof plantings in the summer rainfall areas because of its drought resistance and the fact that it is dormant during the dry winter months. 

Michael Hickman

Landscape Design and Rehabilitation Specialist

www.ecoman.co.za

michael@ecoman.co.za

09.12.14

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