| Botanical Name |
|
| Family |
Meliaceae - The mahogany family. |
| Pronunciation |
eck-ka-BER-gee-uh ka-PEN-sis |
| Common Name(s) |
Cape ash, Dogplum; Essenhout; umnyamati (Xhosa); Mmidibidi (NSotho); umNyamatsi (Swazi); Nyamaru (Tswana) |
| 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
| Tree | 10m to 16m |
| Shrub | 1m to 2m |
| Perennial/ground cover | 40cm to 60cm |
| Bulb | 40cm to 60cm |
| Succulent | 40cm to 60cm |
|
| Position |
- Canopy Shade Canopy shade is found below closely grown trees where some light filters through. Ideal for the protection of herbaceous plants.
- Light or Dappled Shade Found below trees with sparse, open foliage. Ideal for the protection of herbaceous plants.
- 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.
- Drought Tolerance: High The plant is well adapted to arid conditions; it can survive long periods of drought and high temperatures without extra water.
- Evergreen Plants that have leaves all year round.
- Frost: Half-hardy The plant is able to survive low temperatures and some frost but requires protection against severe frost.
- Roots Non-invasive Safe to plant near pools, paving, walls or buildings.
- Water Wise Plant species originating from low rainfall regions that require less water to survive and thrive than other plant species.
- Wind Tolerant Plants able to withstand the effect of strong winds.
|
| Specific Information |
A good, ornamental shade tree.
Do not plant overhanging driveways or washing lines.
Large, round, fleshy fruits turn red in autumn, attracting Knysna and Purple-crested louries, barbets, bulbuls, mousebirds and hornbills, . |
| Flowers |
| Description |
Small, star-shaped flowers on a loose spray.
|
| 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 |
|
| Growth Rate |
- 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 |
- 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 deep shade A dense evergreen tree useful for a low light planting environment or for a recreational shade area.
- Suitable for bonsai A shrub or tree that lends itself to being dwarfed.
- 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.
- Windbreak Trees planted in a row to form protection from prevailing winds by breaking the force of the wind, thereby reducing wind damage.
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| Ad Break |
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| Distribution |
Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, southern Mozambique, the Limpopo Province, Zimbabwe and north into Uganda and Ethiopia |
| Planting Suggestions |
Plant in a large hole in a prepared mixture of garden soil, compost, bone-meal and fertilizer. Mulch deeply. Water well for quick results. Around Bathurst the Cape ash have survived and thrived in dry conditions. See this blog post for more information. |
| Medicinal Uses |
This wide-spread tree has a number of traditional uses: for tanning, as an emetic, for treating dysentery, headaches, heartburn, chronic coughs, intestinal worms and to protect the chief from witchcraft. |
| Availability |
- Unavailable The plant is currently unavailable at our nursery.
|
Comments
Cape ash tree
Hi there, Can i transplant a 4 year old Cape ash tree?
Thanks.
Hein Wiese
Transplanting older trees
I cannot speak from experience but the fact the Ekebergia capensis does not have an aggressive root system is in your favour. Also, the tree is still quite young and with proper handling it should survive. Lifting trees for transplanting is really best done by experts in large tree removal and planting, but if you wish to give it a try, read through the website: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/trees/f1147w.htm It makes reference to American trees, laws and so on, but the basic method is outlined and will give you the guidelines to be followed for a successful transplanting. If you do move the tree, please let us know about your experience - I have had a number of queries on this subject and it would be useful to have some feedback.
cape ash
can i plant a cape ash near a sewerage system
Cape ash - root invasion?
Hi Rose
In my opinion, because the roots of the Cape ash are not invasive, you should be safe, but it may be wise to uncover the pipes and ensure that the joins are properly sealed. I have found that this is where trees are most likely to enter the pipes, leading to blockages and regular visits from the rotor rooter man! The only trees I have come across that have been problematic in this way are Willow trees and Poplar trees, both of which are notoriously invasive. It it were me, I'd take the chance.
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