IN South Africa, Arbor Day was first celebrated in 1983. The event captured the imagination of people who recognised the need for raising awareness of the value of trees in our society. As sources of building material, food, medicine, and simple scenic beauty, trees play a vital role in the health and well-being of our communities. Collective enthusiasm for the importance of this issue in South Africa inspired the national government, in 1999, to extend the celebration of Arbor Day to National Arbor Week. From September 1 to 7 every year, schools, businesses and organisations are encouraged to take part in community ‘greening’ events.
To help increase public awareness of just a few of the 2 000 indigenous tree species in South Africa, every Arbor Week celebration highlights two specific types of tree; common and rare species.
For 2014 the chosen common tree is Heteropyxis natalensis Harvey or lavender tree.
This is a medium to large deciduous tree that grows to about 10 metres high. It occurs naturally on the coastal and inland regions of KwaZulu-Natal and is
also found growing in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The leaves, when crushed, produce a strong lavender scent.
The lavender tree can be grown from seeds. It germinates easily and the young plants are relatively quick growing. Sow the seeds in well-drained moist soil and cover them with a thin layer of compost. Make sure they are kept in a warm area as this promotes rapid germination. Heteropyxis natalensis is a very decorative tree for small gardens. With its glossy green leaves and a whitish stem, it makes a very good focal point. The leaves develop rich red autumn colours, adding to the tree’s attractiveness. The flowers attract bees, wasps and butterflies.
The less common tree for this year is Vepris lanceolata or white ironwood.
The white ironwood is mostly an evergreen shrub or small tree of up to five metres in height, but can reach a height of 20 metres in dry forest areas. The bark is smooth and grey to dark grey in colour.
This lovely plant occurs in dune, riverine and low-lying forest along the coast from the Western Cape, through Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal as well as further north. The most noteworthy members of this family are the buchus that are used medicinally and in the well-known buchu brandy.
Vepris lanceolata makes an excellent garden subject and can be grown from seed; the young plants transplant well. The tree grows reasonably fast and does not have a very aggressive root system. It can be pruned in different shapes and makes a good container plant.
