Schotia latifolia

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Botanical Name

Schotia latifolia

Family

Fabaceae - The legume and pod-bearing family. (Pea & Bean Family)

Pronunciation

SHOT-ee-uh lat-ih-FOE-lee-ah

Common Name(s)

English: Bush boer-bean; Forest Boer-bean

Afrikaans: Bosboerboon

IsiXhosa: umgxama; Umaphipha; umXamo

IsiZulu: umGxamu

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
Very Small

Tree 3m to 4m

Shrub 25cm to 50cm

Perennial/ground cover Up to 10cm

Bulb 10cm to 20cm

Succulent Up to 5cm

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.

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: Tender A plant that will not survive any frost or low winter temperatures.
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

Schotia latifolia has a dense rounded crown with leathery, dark green leaves and a smooth reddish-brown to grey trunk. Although relatively slow growing, this is well worth it for the deep cool shade it provides. The large seed pods that follow the flowers are lime green to pinkish brown, tuning dark brown when ripe.

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Flowers

Description

clusters at the ends of stems

Season

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
white

Growth Rate

Moderate 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, butterflies or 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.

Distribution and Habitat

in the Eastern Cape and small areas in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province, in forests, along forest margins and in scrub and bushveld

Planting Suggestions

Mulch well and water regularly during the first year or two for optimum growth. You can control the size of the tree with the amount of water it is given: regular, deep watering will result in a much bigger tree than one given occasional watering.

The old method of digging a deep hole and filling it with soil and compost has resulted in many trees failing to thrive, dying, rotting at the base or worse still, falling over in later years due to poor root development. Refer to the following sites for the best method of planting trees:

Treehelp.com: Planting a tree

International Society of Arboriculture: New Tree Planting

Tree People: Plant the right way

For those of you who have a clay problem try:

Rod's Garden: Planting in clay soil

Medicinal Uses

The edible seeds have been used for food both indigenous African peoples and the settlers and farmers. The unripe pods were roasted, and the steamed seeds removed and eaten. The bark produces a greenish coloured dye.

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Author: Lorraine Solomon