Plant Type
This tree with its beautiful grey-ish bark can be used to stabilize eroded soils with its extensive root system and Brown Playboy butterfly larvae are attracted by the seeds. It is one of the fastest growing indigenous trees of South Africa.
Plant Description
Faidherbia albida is one of the fastest growing indigenous trees of South Africa. It is deciduous with grey green foliage(twice-compound) and branching stems forming a rounded crown in mature trees but a slender more upright shape in young trees, it can grow up to 30 m tall. Young trees have a smooth stem that varies between greenish-grey and whitish-grey, however older trees have grey branches and stems which are smooth and rough, the branches are often drooping and somewhat zig-zag. The spines are straight, white and born in pairs and can grow up to 40mm long. Cream coloured flowers are born between March and September on an elongated spike between 35-160mm long and 20mm wide, the flowers are sweetly scented. Fruit appear between September and December, they are range between orange and reddish brown flat pods twisted into a coil. The pods can grow up to 100-350mm x 200-50mm.
Faidherbia albida has beautiful greyish bark can be used to stabilize eroded soils with its extensive root system and Brown Playboy butterfly larvae are attracted by the seeds. The pods are eaten by game and livestock and the bark has medicinal uses.
You may find stock of this plant at Random Harvest.