Calodendrum capense

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Botanical Name

Calodendrum capense

Family

Rutaceae - The rue, buchu & citrus family.

Pronunciation

kal-oh-DEN-drum ka-PEN-see

Common Name(s)

Cape Chestnut, Wild Chestnut; Wildekastaiing; umBhaba (Xhosa, Zulu); uMemezi omhlophe (Zulu)

Plant Group

Tree A woody, self-supporting perennial plant usually with a single main stem and generally growing more than 6 meters tall.

Plant Size

Medium to Large

Tree 15m to 20m

Shrub 2m to 3m

Perennial/ground cover 60cm to 75cm

Bulb 60cm to 1m

Succulent 60cm to 1m
Small to Medium

Tree 8m to 15m

Shrub 75cm to 1m

Perennial/ground cover 20cm to 40cm

Bulb 30cm to 40cm

Succulent 20cm to 40cm

Position

Light or Dappled Shade Found below trees with sparse, open foliage. Ideal for the protection of herbaceous plants.
Partial Shade The area is in shade for part of the day and in full sun for part of the day.
Sun The area is in full sun for all or most of the day, all year round.

General Information

Attractive fruits, berries or seeds Brightly coloured fruits or berries increase and extend the visual impact of the plant and are especially attractive to birds and other small wildlife.
Deciduous Plants which completely lose their foliage for part of the year.
Deciduous to Semi-deciduous In warmer areas a deciduous plant may not lose its leaves during winter at all, or may lose its leaves for a very brief period, or may only lose part of its foliage.
Fragrant / Aromatic These plants posses a strong, usually pleasant odour.
Frost: Half-hardy The plant is able to survive low temperatures and some frost but requires protection against severe frost.
Water Moderate These plants will need some extra watering compared to water-wise plants. Plant them together, in at least some shade and in a convenient proximity to the house so that grey water can be utilised during times of drought.

Specific Information

Caledendron capense has a dense, spreading, rounded canopy when grown in open areas and remains much smaller than when growing in a forest. It is often evergreen close to the coast, but inland it is deciduous, the leaves becoming a lovely yellow in autumn. (In Bathurst, ten kilometers from the coast, it is deciduous, while specimens in Port Alfred are usually evergreen.) The Cape chestnut seldom flowers before it is 7 or 8 years old and does not always flower successfully when grown in a garden situation. The seeds pods are large, rounded and have a knobbly texture.

Flowers

Description

each flower has five long, pale pink petals with five sterile stamens, also pink but marked with purple to maroon

Season

Spring to Summer Plants will seldom bloom for the entire season as given in the list, but should flower during a period within these parameters.

Colour

pink

Growth Rate

Moderate to Fast Specifying growth rate can be very misleading as there is considerable variation of growth rate depending on type and species of plant, available water, supplementary feeding, mulching and general care, as well as the plants suitability and adaptability to the garden environment.

Plant Uses

Accent or Focal Point A plant used to attract the attention because of its colour or form.
Attracts bees and other insects This plant attracts insects which can be food for birds or other creatures in your garden.
Attracts Birds This plant will attract birds.
Boundary A plant useful for planting around the edges of the property to form a green or colourful backdrop, an impenetrable hedge, to hide walls or create privacy.
Provides light / dappled shade A tree with an open to sparse canopy, through which varying degrees of sunlight can penetrate.
Suitable for coastal gardens Plants adapted to dry, sandy soil, forceful wind, limited rainfall and intense sunlight.
Wild Garden An indigenous garden planted for the benefit of wildlife and birds. Provides food, water, a variety of mini-biomes and no poisonous chemicals are used.

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Distribution

from Swellendam in the Western Cape, through the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, Gauteng, North West and Northern Province to Ethiopia, in forests, ravines, and less frequently in scrub and riverine bush

Planting Suggestions

Calodendrum capense needs a warm sunny position in fertile, well-composted soil with plenty of water during spring and summer. Protect the tree from strong, persistent winds so as to retain its rounded shape. Young plants need protection from frost, but once established should be able to survive to -7°C. Flowering is adversely affected by very cold weather. Under ideal conditions the Cape chestnut can grow up to a meter a year.

See this blog post for more information.

Medicinal Uses

The bark is sold at traditional medicine markets for use in skin ointments. Oil, suitable for making soap, is extracted from the crushed and boiled seeds. The seeds are said to have magic properties, and Xhosa hunters tied them around their wrists to bring them good hunting.

Availability