Sideroxylon inerme

Hi Delene

I have found no information in this regard. As mentioned, there is no definite proof that these fruits are edible for human consumption. I certainly wouldn't want to try them - the juice is tacky and sticks to the skin like latex.

Regards
Lorraine

Hi Jenny

As I live in Bathurst, I understand and sympathise with your dilemma. Almost nothing grows under my Milkwoods either. The shade they cast is deep and the Milkwoods seem to suck up all the water and nutrients. Your choices are further limited as the plants will not receive extra water. Here are some ideas:

Succulents: Crassula multicava, Crassula streyi and Crassula spathulata; Aptenia cordifolia; Gasteria excelsa

Bulbs: Veltheimia bracteata - I have seen these growing in the bush almost up to the East beach. I have some Crinum moorei that are growing well under one of my Milkwoods; Sansevieria hyacinthoides; Albuca nelsonii; Strelitzia reginea

Perrenials: Barleria obtusa - only the natural blue one, (the hybrids won't survive); Plectranthus madagascariensis var. madagascariensis; Plectranthus verticallatus; Plectranthus neochilus; Asparagus densiflorus;

Shrubs: Haleria lucida, Pavetta revoluta

Your main problem will be that no matter how adaptable the plants are, they will need need a couple of months of care before they can be left to themselves. If you have water available, you could possibly hire a neighbour or a pensioner to come in and water the plants on a bi- or tri-weekly basis.

I hope this is of some help.
Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Linda

Without more information, it is impossible to make a useful diagnosis. The tree may have died from too little water, too much water, disease, insect activity in roots, trunk or leaves, age, unsuitable climate, heavy frost, disturbance of the roots, chemical leakage, pool water...the list goes on.

All I can say with certainty is that the tree was already dying, which is why the leaves turned pale.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Andre

Thanks for your helpful comment. I get many of my common names from SANBI's Red List of South African Plants and this is where I found the name: http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=3380-1

I must admit that I routinely accept SANBI data to be 'the last word' in accuracy. Could SANBI be wrong? Possibly, but vernacular names are not always reliable from a botanical point of view. Quite frequently different species share common names, some of which are very localised.

I do agree with you however that the common name 'Jakkalsbessie' is most strongly linked to Diospyros mespiliformis.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Walter

Thanks for your affirmation. When I get a query like the above, I start to doubt my information and go scampering through my sources to make sure I have not made an error. "Ysterhout" is definitely over-used, "Mahogany" but my nightmares begin with many of the smaller plants and shrubs. Amongst others, colloquial names such as Ambeiebos, Bitterbossie, Gousblom, Karoo bossie, Slangkop and Aandblom are ascribed to 4 or 5 different species each. Very confusing!

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Johnnie

It is possible to transplant this tree but as I have no experience in transplanting this species so I cannot comment on success rate.

Transplanting a mature tree has many pitfalls to avoid and procedures to follow to ensure, as far as possible, that the transplant is a success. I have found the information and instructions on the following three sites very helpful in the past:

http://www.savatree.com/mature-tree-transplants.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/how-to-move-a-prized-tree/2...
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/movetree.htm

Hope this helps.
Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Theresa

This tree is really in an unfortunate position.

I suppose you could spray the entire tree with insect poison on a regular basis during flowering time to prevent pollination. This would also kill off a multitude of bees and other insects, as well as having a negative and possibly devastating effect on certain bird, lizard, gecko and other small wildlife populations that rely on the tree as a food source or living environment. It could also have harmful effects on the occupants of the home. In other words, not a solution but a severe blow to the natural balance of your environment.

The best solution is to remove the tree.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Yvonne

As much as I would like to give you hope, I very much doubt that you will be able to save the broken part of the stem. However, it is worth a try. I am not too experienced at growing truncheons, but I found and copied the following very clear instructions from page 22 of this download: www.nobrainer.co.za/file.php?fileId=3369

1. The best time to cut truncheons is in June, July or August when trees are
growing slowly because it is cold. Cut truncheons from trees that drop a
white sap when cut. Only cut truncheons once the trees have formed
new buds. You will not have much success if you plant truncheons later
than November.
2. Cut thick branches with a saw or an axe. The branches can be as tall as
an adult person. Cut the top of the truncheon at a slant, so that water
runs off and does not cause the truncheon to rot. The slant also shows
you which way up to plant the truncheon.
3. Leave the truncheons to lie in the shade for a few days so that a hard
layer forms over the cut ends. If you put the truncheons into the soil
soon after cutting them, then they may rot.
4. Dig a narrow hole. Place half to two-thirds of the truncheon into the soil.
Pack the soil firmly around each truncheon.
5. If there is no rain, water the truncheons until they are growing strongly.

You can use a rooting hormone which you can get at hardware shops, nurseries and garden centres, on the end of the truncheon.

Best of luck.
Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Maria

You really do have a problem! The flowers of these trees smell really bad so as to attract flies to pollinate them. The flies can smell the odour from long distances away are are drawn to the flowers under the impression that something is rotten where they can feed and lay their eggs. As soon as the flowering season is over, the flies will disappear. I am not sure but I think this will take about three weeks - longer if the trees flower at slightly different times.

The only suggestion I can make is to buy fly traps from the hardware store and hang them between the trees and the house. Unfortunately these traps also smell pretty bad, which will mean you cannot use the yard and will probably still have to keep the windows closed.

Removing the trees would be the only way to solve your problem permanently but there lies another obstacle. White milkwoods are protected trees in South Africa and it is illegal to remove these trees without a permit from the Nature Conservation authorities - even if they are growing on your own property.

I am sorry that I cannot make any really useful suggestions. Perhaps another reader will be able to give us other ideas.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Maria

You must be relieved the flowering season is over. You will probably have this problem every year at flowering time, but at least you can be prepared for it. Hopefully it will not always be so bad.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Lyn

Most evergreen trees do shed a larger quantity of leaves than normal at a certain time of the year. The leaves go yellow and fall to the ground. A flush of new growth usually follows. If the leaves keep dying over a period of longer than about a month and branches look bare or start dying off, this would indicate a problem of some sort. Has this happened before? If you are concerned that there is a bigger problem, please send me photos of the whole tree, a close-up of a branch with dying leaves and a close up of the leaves themselves.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Johann

Sincere apologies for not having replied to your query for such a long time.

The bumps on the leaves are caused by an insect called Psylla. The adult looks much like an aphid with wings. The immature insects feed on the underside of the leaves which causes the galls. If heavily infested the leaves may turn yellow and drop off. There are many species of Psylla that attack different varieties of plants.

Although I don't encourage the use of poisons, the following can be used: Chlorpyrifos, Aphicid, Aphidsprey or Metasystox.

For biological control Insecticidal soap and certain oil based mixtures are suggested but I do not know brand names for these - you would have to contact a knowledgeable nursery-person, or perhaps Margaret Roberts will be best able to help with organic control - www.margaretroberts.co.za/

I have had this problem on White Milkwoods as well as the Cape Ash. I have noticed that the insects infest only certain trees each season. My best Cape Ash specimen was attacked two years ago but there has been no sign of galls since then. I just ignore them as control is very difficult when you have a large number of trees.

Kind regards
Lorraine

Hi Merryl

My apologies for not replying to your query sooner.

Trees selected for protection status are not chosen for their usefulness in a garden or city environment. These trees are chosen for a number of far-reaching reasons with regard to the natural environment of the country as a whole. Some of the criteria used are as follows:

Red list status: is the tree rare or becoming rare in its natural habitat;

Whether species plays a dominant role in an ecosystem’s functioning;

Sustainability of Use - whether a species is threatened by heavy use of its products such as timber, bark etc;

Cultural or Spiritual Importance - does the tree have outstanding landscape value or spiritual meaning attached to it.

So why the Milkwood?

The smelly flowers provide a food source large population of various types of flies and other bugs as well as speckled mousebirds.

The fruits provide food for birds, bats, monkeys and bush pigs.

The bark and roots have a number of medicinal uses.

The majority of milkwoods grow all along the beaches of the east coast of South Africa on poor dune soil, stabilising the dunes, preventing erosion and enriching the soils.

Added to all of this is the fact that the Milkwood makes an excellent, natural fire break and they have been known to stop a fire dead in its tracks. This is of special use in the dune area where a rampant fire would cause a disastrous situation that would take years and years to recover.

Milkwoods can grow to be many hundreds of years old. Many of these very old trees were cut down in earlier times as the wood is very hard and was used for building bridges, boats and mills.

All told, the Milkwood plays a vital role as a member and protector of Dune and coastal forest biomes.

And that is why it is a protected tree.

Kind regards
Lorraine