Leucosidea sericea

Leucosidea sericea

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Common Names

Oldwood (english)Ouhout (afrikaans)Munyonga-Tshifumbu (venda)Umtshitshi (zulu)

Taxonomy

Family ROSACEAE
Genus Leucosidea
Species sericea
SA Plant Number 145
Basionym Leucosidea sericea

Description

Leucosidea sericea is a decorative, very hardy, evergreen, fast growing, low branching, small tree with aromatic leaves that have silvery hairs.

The yellowish-green flowers that are borne from August to December, are sticky with nectar and held in candle-like spikes. The flowers attract many insects with their pollen and nectar.

It has attractive, dark, fissured, peeling stem bark. One can make the most of this by pruning them up to have clean stems or trunks and lower branches. It makes a beautiful specimen tree in a small garden.

Requires regular watering or plant in damp areas to keep it looking good. Ideal screening plant for sun or semi-shade.

It is said that they are indicators of good fishing waters. They grow at high altitude in extremely cold and inhospitable areas.

Size 2 to 9m

Wildlife

Insect food plant: Bees and other pollinating insects love the flowers of the Ouhout tree as they produce copious amounts of pollen. Insect-eating birds are attracted to the tree by the many insects that visit the flowers.

Uses

Medicinal: A paste is made from crushed leaves for an eye ailment. Used in Zulu traditional medicine.

Distribution

Limpopo, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape

Natural Habitat Along rivers and streams, Forest margin, Forested Ravines  

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