| Botanical Name |
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| Family |
Fabaceae - The legume and pod-bearing family. (Pea & Bean Family) |
| Pronunciation |
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| Common Name(s) |
Umzimbeet, umsambeet, umKunye (Xhosa) |
| Plant Group |
- Tree A woody, self-supporting perennial plant usually with a single main stem and generally growing more than 6 meters tall.
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| 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 |
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| Position |
- 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.
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| 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 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.
- 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 Loving Plants need a regular supply of water and must not be allowed to dry out for any length of time.
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| Specific Information |
Grey bark, coppery young leaves and buds, purple flowers and golden pods makes this a useful tree. This is a well-shaped, decorative garden tree. |
| Flowers |
| Description |
large pea-flower, on spikes |
| Season |
- Summer Plants will seldom bloom for the entire season as given in the list, but should flower during a period within these parameters.
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| Colour |
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| 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.
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| 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.
- 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 |
along the coast, North of East London in the Eastern Cape Province and into KwaZulu-Natal, especially in the Pondoland area. |
| Planting Suggestions |
Plant in a large hole of about 1 cubic meter. Mix in a good amount of compost, well rotted manure, bone-meal and your choice of fertiliser. Mulch well and water regularly during the first year or two for optimum growth. See this blog post for more information. |
| Medicinal Uses |
The ground seeds are soaked in milk as a remedy for roundworm. Powdered root is prepared in various ways as a tranquiliser and to induce sleep. |
| Availability |
- Unavailable The plant is currently unavailable at our nursery.
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