Arbor Week may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the indigenous trees of South Africa. The annual celebration, which takes place the first week of September, has crowned three trees victorious – the popular Spekboom as the victor, along with the sweet thorn and the pepper-bark tree.
Trees breathe life into our planet and are a crucial component when it comes to generating oxygen, stabilising soil and giving life to the world’s wildlife. Arbor Week is an unadulterated celebration of these incredible plants and aims to encourage planting and conservation, especially among indigenous and threatened tree species.
According to IOL, “tree of the year” has taken place each year since 1996, with two trees being selected – one common and one rare. This year, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has attempted to switch things up by adding an additional tree.
“The extended list of trees of the year now consists of a common tree, a tree for promotion and a tree for appreciation,” explained the Dendrological Society of South Africa.
The Spekboom – Portulacaria afra
“Bacon tree” is the direct translation for Spekboom and is named so due to its plump round leaves that can be enjoyed raw – yum! It helps prevent soil erosion and is a great addition to any habitat conservation and restoration plan. A few traditional uses include increasing milk production within breastfeeding mothers, quenching thirst and treating heatstroke.
This shrub enjoys plenty of sunlight, growing to 2 metres in a suburban garden.
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Sweet Thorn – Vachellia karroo
Cold, dry winters are what this particular tree thrives on and can be evergreen in areas that receive regular rainfall. They’ll need plenty of sunlight to grow to their ideal height of 12 metres, but make sure that you avoid planting them near walls as they tend to produce invasive roots that could cause some destruction.
Beekeepers love this particular tree as its flowers produce an abundance of nectar and pollen that bees seem to love. The tree also produces thorns traditionally used for sewing needles and pins and is a prominent feature when building fences for royal Zulu households.
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Pepper Bark Tree – Warburgia salutaris
This tree is popular for its medicinal uses, thanks to its strong antibacterial and anti-fungicidal properties. Unfortunately, it’s endangered within South Africa and can be extremely rare to find in the wild due to being overharvested. The perfect addition to any medicine cabinet, the bark has been used throughout the years to treat malaria, sinusitis, burns, and diarrhoea. They can grow up to 7.5 metres with moderate amounts of water.
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Picture: Twitter