The blessings of nature

"To plant trees is to give body and life to one's dreams of a better world." 

-- Russell Page

As a gentle reminder of the countless ways that trees enrich our lives, I'm posting a list of sixty South African trees that are excellent for our gardens here in Gauteng.

Did you know that trees are the longest living organisms on the planet and one of the earth's greatest natural resources? Trees are essential to our world and offer a wide range of benefits to our environment and play a major role in purifying the air we breathe. The air is filtered by the trees and returned to the atmosphere at the time of photosynthesis. Trees provide us with oxygen, which is essential for the existence of life, WITHOUT TREES THERE WOULD BE NO LIFE!

Trees… 

• beautify and sustain our world. 

• inspire the creation of great literary and artistic works. 

• are a living legacy. 

• create a shady place to read a book, enjoy a picnic, take a nap, or just sit back and relax. 

• are nature's answer to the play structure. They provide limbs to climb and hang a swing from. 

• help to decrease noise pollution. 

• block an unsightly view and further enhance a nice view 

• offer both food and shelter. 

• provide wildlife habitats. 

• can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 50%. 

• increase property values. 

• help to prevent or reduce soil erosion and water pollution. 

Trees are a vital part of any ecosystem.  If one part of an ecosystem is damaged or disappears, the long term effects can be devastating. Creating awareness among people about the importance of trees and the need for their conservation is of the utmost importance to all of us.

Many of my closest friends are serious tree-lovers, not only for their beauty but also because they symbolise the blessings of nature; life; growth; good fortune; stability; strength and security.

Maybe you would like to leave a comment below and we could build up a LIST OF SERIOUS TREE LOVERS! Thank you!

Photo credit : Elizabeth Kendall, a tree-loving friend

Evergreen Trees Indigenous to the Gauteng Region (South Africa)

1. Acokanthera oppositifolia - Bushmans Poison.
   Small, evergreen shrub. Bushmen used the plant as a bonding agent for the poison for their arrows.
2. Aloe arborescens - Krantz Aloe.
   Small, shrubby Aloe. Good hedge material.
3. Aloe marlothii - Mountain Aloe.
   Large, evergreen, drought resistant tree. Orange horizontal flowers in winter.
4. Berchemia zeyheri - Red Ivory.
   Shrub / medium sized evergreen tree, up to 10m. Very sought after timber, red heartwood.
5. Buddleja saligna - False olive.
   Medium sized fastgrowing evergreen, drought and frost resistant tree, makes a good screen plant while still young.
6. Buddleja salviifolia - Sagewood.
   Medium sized, frost resistant, fast growing tree. Weeping habit. Beautiful scent when flowering in early spring.
7. Carissa bispinosa - Num Num.
   Small, evergreen shrub. Attracts birds which eat the large plum like fruit. Attractive large white star shaped flowers.
8. Cassine burkeana - Transvaal Kooboo-Berry.
   Small, evergreen shrub.
9. Cussonia paniculata - Mountain Cabbage Tree / Highveld Caggage tree.
   Small sized, evergreen, drought and frost resistant tree. Grows amongst boulders and rocky outcrops. Nice specimen plant.
10. Diospyros lycoides - Bluebush.
    Small, evergreen, drought and frost resistant tree. Attracts birds which eat the large red berries it produces.
11. Diospyros whyteana - Bladdernut.
    Small, evergreen, hardy tree. Produces fruit which are full of air.
12. Dodonaea angustifolia - Sand Olive.
    Small, evergreen shrub.
13. Ehritia rigida - Puzzle bush.
    Small, evergreen, fast growing shrub. Attracts birds which eat the numerous berries it produces.
14. Euclea crispa - Blue Guarri.
    Small to medium sized, frost and drought resistant, evergreen tree. Beautiful round crown
15. Grewia occidentalis - Crossberry.
    Small, evergreen tree, up to 6m. Attracts birds which eat the small berries it produces. Pretty pink flowers with yellow centre in spring.
16. Ilex mitis - Cape Holly.
    Medium sized evergreen tree, up to 10m. Birds eat fruit it produces. Unsuited to drier areas.
17. Kiggelaria africana - Wild Peach.
    Small to medium sized evergreen tree, 4 - 13m.
18. Maytenus heterophylla - Common Spike Thorn.
    Small, evergreen, drought resistant tree. Large spikes make this a good perimeter plant. Attracts birds which eat the Numerous berries it produces.
19. Maytenus polyacantha - Kraal spike thorn.
    Small drought and frost resistant, evergreen shrub. Covered in small spines.
20. Myrsine africana - Cape Myrtle.
    Small evergreen, shrub.
21. Olea africana - Wild Olive.
    Medium sized evergreen frost and drought resistant tree, attracts birds which eat the small olive like berries and nest in its branches.
22. Rhamnus prinoides - Dogwood.
    Small to medium sized, evergreen, frost resistant tree. Attractive shiny foliage. Attracts birds which eat the Small Black berries it produces. Grows in riverine forest.
23. Rhus lancea - Karee.
    Medium sized, evergreen, drought and frost resistant tree. Attracts birds which eat the small green berries it produces in late winter, provides important forrage for birds in the dry highveld winter environment.
24. Rhus leptodictya - Mountain Karee.
    Small to medium sized, evergreen tree. Grows on rocky outcrops and ridges on the hughveld.
25. Rhus undulata - Kuni Bush.
    Small to medium sized, evergreen tree. Typical highveld dry forest tree.
26. Zanthoxylum capense - Small Knobwood.
    Small, evergreen tree. Knobs on trunk.

Deciduous Trees Indigenous to the Gauteng Region (South Africa)

1. Acacia caffra - Common Hook Thorn.
   Large, deciduous, fast growing, drought and frost resistant tree.
2. Acacia galpinii - Monkey Thorn.
   Large, deciduous, Drought and frost resistant tree. Fine feathery foliage.
3. Acacia hebeclada - Candle Thorn.
   Medium sized, deciduous, drought resistant tree. Seed pods stand erect on tree. Fine feathery foliage.
4. Acacia karoo - Sweet Thorn.
   Large, fast growing, deciduous tree, attracts birds which eat the gum it produces and insects that are attracted by its yellow fluffball like flowers in summer. Described as one of South Africa's most important trees, because it is extensively browsed and used as fodder in arid areas. Strong sweet smelling scent when in bloom.
5. Acacia nilotica - Scented Thorn.
   Medium sized, deciduous, drought resistant tree. Attractive scented flowers in summer.
6. Acacia robusta - Splendid Thorn.
   Large, deciduous, drought resistant tree.
7. Acacia tortilis - Umbrella Thorn.
   Medium sized, deciduous, slow growing, drought resistant tree, with a large flat spreading umbrella shapedcrown.
8. Cassinopsis ilicifolia - Spiny Cassinopsis.
   Scrambling shrub / small tree, up to 5m.
9. Celtis africana - White Stinkwood.
   Large, fast growing attractive deciduous tree, attracts birds which eat the small green berries it produces.
10. Croton gratissimus - Lavender Croton.
11. Combretum Apiculatum - Red Bushwillow.
    Small to medium sized deciduous tree, 3 - 10m. Occurs in dry open bushy shrub like woodland.
12. Combretum erythrophyllum - River Bushwillow.
    Large, fast growing, deciduous, frost hardy tree. Grows along riverbanks.
13. Combretum molle - Velvet Bushwillow.
    Medium sized, deciduous, drought resistant tree.
14. Combretum zeyheri - Large fruited Bushwillow.
    Small to medium sized deciduous tree, up to 10m. Afrikaans common name - Raasblaar.
15. Dichrostachys cinerea - Kalahari Christmas Tree.
    Small, deciduous, drought resistant tree. Attractive Acacia type flowers pink on top half yellow below.
16. Dombeya rotundifolia - Wild Pear.
    Medium sized, deciduous, drought and frost resistant tree. Attracts birds which eat the pear like fruit it produces. Beautiful yellow blossoms in early spring.
17. Dovyalis zeyheri - Wild Apricot.
    Medium sized, deciduous, hardy tree. Attracts birds which eat the small apricot like fruit.
18. Erythrina lysistemin - Common Coral Tree.
    Small to medium sized deciduous tree, 6m. Beautiful red flowers before new leaves in spring on bare branches.
19. Grewia flava - Brandybush.
    Shrub / small deciduous tree, up to 4m. Dry woodland and bushveld. Yellow flowers.
20. Heteromorpha trifoliata - Parsley tree.
    Medium sized, deciduous, fast growing, multistemmed tree. Bronze coloured bark peels back in concentric rings makes this a good specimen plant.
21. Leonotis dysophylla - Wild Dagga.
    Small, deciduous erect shrub. Attractive orange erica type flowers in early spring.
22. Mundulea sericea - Cork Bush.
    Shrub / small, slow growing tree, 2 - 3m.
23. Ochna pulchra - Peeling Plane.
    Small deciduous tree, 3 - 7m. Pretty smooth bark which peels off like the exotic plane tree.
24. Pappea capensis - Jacket Plum.
    Small to medium sized tree, up to 7m.
25. Pavetta gardenifolia - Common Brides Bush.
    Small, deciduous shrub.
26. Peltophorum africanum - Weeping / African Wattle.
    Small to medium sized deciduous tree, 5 - 10m. Beautiful yellow flowers.
27. Rhus dentata - Nana Berry.
    Small deciduous tree, up to 6m. Red shiny fruit.
28. Rhus pyroides - Common Wildcurrant.
    Medium sized, fast growing, deciduous, drought and frost resistant tree. Attracts birds which eat the currant like berries in summer.
29. Rhus zeyheri - Blue Currant.
    Small deciduous tree, 3 - 4m. Blue grey foliage. Occurs on rocky koppies and stream banks.
30. Sclerocarya birrea - Marula.
    Medium sized tree, up to 10m. Frost sensitive.
31. Scolopia zeyheri - Thorny Pear.
    Medium sized, deciduous tree.
32. Securinega virosa - White Berry Bush.
    Small, deciduous shrub. Attracts birds which eat small white berries.
33. Spirostachys africana - Tamboti.
    Medium sized tree, up to 10m. The sap from this tree is poisonous.
34. Ziziphus mucronata - Buffalo Thorn.
    Medium sized, fast growing, deciduous, drought and frost resistant tree. Attracts birds which eat the large red berries it produces. Makes a good perimeter barrier as its thorns are rather profuse when young and difficult to untangle because one points forward while the other points backward. Shiny light green leaves hence the afrikaans common name Blinkblaar.

 

Sixty tree list from "The Tree House"