Kiepersol: Birds and insects paradise
From the archive. This page keeps material from the hiking club website that once used this domain. JHB Hiking is an independent magazine; routes, access and fees may have changed, so check with the landowner or reserve before you go.
This group consists of those trees and plants indigenous to the area and those selected are randomly picked from a vast list.
Listen to the bees as they buzz around the flowers or to the calls of the various birds who eat the fruits. The large succulent roots are chewable and during winter be in awe at the greyish carpet as the leaves are shed. Touch the rough bark, the soft fruits and strong leaves.
Listen to the bees as they buzz around the flowers or to the calls of the various birds who eat the fruits. The large succulent roots are chewable and during winter be in awe at the greyish carpet as the leaves are shed. Touch the rough bark, the soft fruits and strong leaves.
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Latin name
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Cussonia paniculata (paniculata refers to the branched flower heads)
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Common name
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Cabbage Tree, Kiepersol
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Location
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Along the eastern side of the country, usually on rocky slopes.
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Description
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Leaf: Compound, hand shaped, 7 to 9 leaflets all grow from the same point on the leaf stem. Margin is coarsely toothed. 600mm.
Flowers (January to April) green-yellow densely packed on branched stalks.
Fruit (May to June). Small purple berry like fruit, tightly packed on spikes. Fruit 6mm.
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Edible
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Definitely not, but they don?’t look tempting.
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Medicinal
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Water can be obtained from the fibrous roots.
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Garden uses
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Makes a good accent plant that is frost and drought resistant.
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Interesting
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Used for brake blocks for ox wagons.
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