Trema orientalis Pigeon Wood Tree

Trema orientalis is a common pioneer tree which belongs to the hemp (dagga) family, Cannabaceae.

Pigeon Wood Trema orientalis

Trema orientalis has a very wide distribution in the tropical and warm temperate parts of the Old World. It´s range extends from South Africa, through Africa the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent into southern China, Southeast Asia  including the Philippines and Australia.

Over it´s wide range Trema orientalis has many common names which include pigeon wood, charcoal-tree and gunpowder tree

Trema orientalis has considerable ecological significance being a very productive tree

with at least 14 species of butterfly using it as a larval food plant. Many species of birds are attracted to this tree to eat the vast amounts of small berries that it produces almost continuously throughout the year or to feed on the abundant insects which live on these trees. 

Pigeon Wood Trema orientalis berries

In my own garden they are frequented by a large number of bird species which include Black Collard Barbet, Crested Barbet, Yellow Rumped Tinker Bird, Glossy, Black Bellied, Violet Backed and Redwinged Starlings, Purple Crested Turaco, White Eyes, Thickbilled Weavers, Klaas Cuckoo Diederik Cuckoo, Somber Bulbul, Grey Bulbul, Speckled Mouse bird, Ring Necked Doves and many others. 

The vast numbers of tiny greenish yellow flowers are pollinated by various bee species which attract insect eating birds.

Pigeon Wood Trema orientalis flowers

The leaves are also browsed by game animals and can be used as spinach. This tree is a fast growing species found in previously disturbed areas and on forest margins. It is a pioneer species that can grow on poor soil and can be used to regenerate forest areas by providing shade and protection to saplings of forest hardwoods

Trema orientalis is a nitrogen fixing tree which improves soil fertility for other plant species.

From a conventional landscaping point of view Trema orientalis  is not a very suitable candidate for a landscape feature tree because it often looks rather messy due to its leaves being eaten by just about every conceivable insect however it is a must in every garden that strives to encourage wildlife.

Pigeon Wood Trema orientalis leaves eaten by insects

Being a pioneer tree Trema orientalis is very useful when it comes to establishing a new proudly South African garden in particular on poor soils providing shade and a windbreak for other plants that are being established.

Trema orientalis is invaluable when it comes to indigenous forest restoration where it provides shade, nutrients and organic material in the form of dead leaves and vast amounts of excrement from the many insects that feed on its leaves. In addition it provides protection for the slower growing and more tender specimens. Seeds of many trees are also brought onto site by birds which come to feed on the seeds though this may not always be a good thing where undesirable alien plants seeds are brought in by birds feeding on its fruits.

Lily Grass or Weeping Anthericum

Anthericum saundersiae Synonym. Chlorophytum saundersiae

Anthericum saundersiae is an excellent and very versatile landscape bedding plant that can be grown in the full sun semi and even full shade it is an asset to any landscape design in particular where one would like to plant a productive plant the brings in vast amounts of wildlife into the landscape or garden.

Anthericum saundersiae plant is named after Katharine Saunders plant collector and botanical artist who was born Katharine Wheelwright (1824-1901) in Tansor, Northamptonshire, England  she emigrated to Tongaat, Natal with her husband James who later became the sole proprietor of the Tongaat Sugar Estate in 1860.

I first collected Anthericum saundersiae which I found growing in full sun at the Treasure Beach grasslands in Durban in the late 1970`s. The tiny insignificant single stemmed specimen that I collected grew rapidly under my care and soon started to produce vast amounts of seed which germinated readily under the ideal conditions that I gave it and in no time at all I had large numbers of this delightful little plant. Anthericum saundersiae produces a profusion of little white star like flowers on long thin, arching stems from mid winter into late summer. Some years later I gave a number of my still unidentified plants to Geoff Nichols who took a specimen to the Natal Herbarium at Botanic Gardens where it was identified as Anthericum saundersiae. I grew and sold Anthericum saundersiae in my own nursery in small numbers but after they found their way to the Silver Glenn indigenous plant nursery they were propagated in large numbers making them much more available to the public.

In 2001 I went to stay in Germany where I became familiar with a very similar and popular specie Anthericum ramosa Syn. graminifolium so I was not at all surprised when I returned to South Africa seven years later and found Anthericum saundersiae growing in their countless thousands in nearly every new garden planting in and around Durban. Whether those plants now in cultivation came from the one tiny specimen that I collected way back in the 1970`s or from another source I do not know and probably will never know but the likely hood is certainly high that they did.

Anthericum saundersiae is a very productive trouble free garden plant that grows to about 700 mm which is ideal for the natural garden in that it attracts vast numbers of insects in particular large numbers of bee species from the very smallest to large bumble bees that when they land on the flower they weight them almost down to the ground causing them to bob up and down as they move from flower to flower setting the plants in motion as if they are dancing. I have observed that the foliage is also loved by Scrub Hares, domestic rabbits and in particular Egyptian Geese.

Although Anthericum saundersiae prefers to grow in full sun in fertile sandy soil it is a very versatile plant that will grow under almost any conditions in most soils from sand to heavy clay soils in frost free areas.

Anthericum saundersiae propagates very easily and profusely from seed but can also be subdivided when seed is not available. Seed germinates best in raised seed beds or directly on the ground in prepared sandy soil with a little very well rotted compost added, poor results may be obtained if seed is planted into a bark based growing medium in seed trays

Agapanthus praecox a floral Gem

Agapanthus praecox sups. orientalis

Agapanthus means love flower, the name agapanthus is made up of two Greek words agape love and anthos flower. The Zulu name for this plant is ubani.

Photo taken of a bed of Agapanthus praecox in flower at my home in Mount Moreland

Agapanthus belongs to the plant family Agapanthaceae which consists of only one genus that is endemic to southern Africa, meaning that Agapanthus occurs naturally nowhere else on Earth

This is one of the best known of our South African plants abroad having been first introduced to and grown in Europe since about 1652.

Agapanthus praecox is easy to grow and will even grow in poor soils provided it receives sufficient water in particular in summer. For Agapanthus praecox to perform at its best, it however requires a rich soil with plenty of compost and plenty of water year round in particular in spring and summer. Agapanthus praecox do best in full sun. 

Agapanthus praecox need to be lifted and divided every three to four years to keep them healthy and vigorous this being done just after they have finished flowering. They usually flower best in their first season after having been divided. When replanting reduce the foliage by a third to one half and reduce the roots by two-thirds. Replant immediately and water thoroughly.

Agapanthus are mostly free of pests but can from time to time be attached by the Agapanthus Borer Moth, Neuranethes spodopterodes which is native to South Africa. The larvae bore into the budding inflorescence and as they mature they tunnel down towards the leaves and rhizomes. The Agapanthus borer is often mistakenly referred to as Amaryllis borer Brithys crini pancratii which they are most certainly not. A severe attack can promote rot and may kill the plant.

The introduced exotic European garden snail can at times also do considerable damage if not controlled.

Agapanthus praecox with its neat growth habit and spectacular flowers is an asset and a must for every proudly South African garden and amenity horticultural landscape in the regions where they grow best.

For much of the year the Agapanthus plant does not attracts large numbers of insects or other creatures but when it comes to flowering time they attracts large numbers of bees in particular honey bees to the spectacular blue flowers. And along with the bees creatures that feed on bees such as crab spiders that wait in a flower to catch the fist unsuspecting bee that lands to take nectar and pollen as can bee seen in the photo below.

 A crab spider feeding on a bee that it has just caught.

No proudly South African garden or landscape should be without these most spectacular gems of our South African floral kingdom.

In addition to being spectacular garden plants Agapanthus praecox have many uses in traditional medicine and magic as well as being used as love charms. 

Acacia karroo one of South Africa's most beautiful and useful trees.

Acacia karroo (Vachellia karroo) Sweet thorn

This is one of South Africa's most beautiful and useful trees.

Acacia karroo

Acacia karroo which is native to southern Africa is a very attractive medium sized tree which due to it´s very wide natural distribution and tolerance to a wide range of soil types makes it suitable as a landscape tree in practically in any proudly South African garden. 

CMR Bean Beetle Mylabris oculata

In addition to being very attractive and suitable as a landscape feature it is also environmentally a very productive tree that attracts very large numbers of insects when in flower in particular honey bees which makes it an asset to any garden. When out of flower it is the host for a large number of insect species including butterfly many or which are a valuable food source for in particular birds. Acacia karroo is fast growing and flowers when very small so there is no need to wait for years to see and to experience the benefits of planting this tree.

Honey Bee Mimic Eristalinus taeniops

Acacia karroo is an integrally part of our country's history having been used for everything from raft-making to sewing needles and fencing for the houses of the royal Zulu women. The thorns were even used by early naturalists to pin the insects they collected!

Common Dotted Fruit Chafer Cyrtothyrea marginalis

A long running debate about the classification of Acacia was resolved at the 2011 Botanical Conference held in Melbourne.

The debate arose out of research over the past few decades which established that the two main groups of acacias (the African and Australian groups) were distinct and needed to be separated into different genera. The debate centered around the issue of which group of plants would retain the name Acacia, based on the following opposing views:

Those supporting the retention of the name Acacia for the African group argued that the genus was originally described from an African species, Acacia nilotica

Those supporting the retention of Acacia for the Australian group argued that the vast majority of species occurred in Australia and that reclassification of those species would incur considerable disruption and expense.

In the end the Australians were the winners and a group of African trees know as Acacias since ancient and biblical times now have other names.

Until the reclassification of the genus, Acacia had about 1400 species spread over five sub-genera.  Now Acacia is a genus of around 1000 species, most of which occur in Australia with another dozen or so being found in Asia.

Garden Fruit Chafer Pachnoda sinuata

What we have always known as Acacia karroo is now officially known as

Vachellia karroo a name that many including myself having voted against the name change will never accept.