Halleria lucida
Encyclopedia
Halleria lucida is an small, attractive, evergreen tree
that is indigenous to Southern Africa
. It is increasingly grown as an ornamental tree in African gardens.
y appearance.
Notsung is unusual in producing its flowers and fruit, not from the tips of its branches like most flowering trees, but from its trunk. This characteristic is common to many species of tree, another such Southern African tree being Stamvrug. The orange or purple flower
s are incredibly rich in nectar, and the small, fleshy fruit
s are edible (but do not taste particularly good). It is a member of the Snapdragon
family.
, as well as northwards through East Africa
as far as Ethiopia
.
Its natural habitats include deep afro-montane forest
, forest fringes, open mountain slopes, gorges and river banks. Like many other trees, in a shady habitat (like deep forest) Halleria lucida grows tall and slender; while it forms a smaller shrub-like tree if grown in the open.
It tolerates full sun as well as partial shade and, once established, it can also survive moderate drought. This makes it particularly suitable for growing in mildly arid areas. It is also a relatively fast-growing tree.
This is an excellent tree for bringing bird
s to the garden. Hummingbirds are attracted by the nectar of the flowers, and the fruits attract a large range of other birds.
The leaves and fruits of Halleria lucida are an important component of traditional African medicine. In addition, it has a function in traditional Zulu religion, as the ceremonial burning of the leaves is believed to counter witchcraft and summon the protective spirits of dead ancestors.
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
that is indigenous to Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
. It is increasingly grown as an ornamental tree in African gardens.
Appearance
This tree has lush, glossy, bright-green foliage on arching and drooping branches. It is often multi-stemmed and can eventually reach a height of over 15m. The way that the dense foliage droops from the hanging branches gives the tree a willowWillow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
y appearance.
Notsung is unusual in producing its flowers and fruit, not from the tips of its branches like most flowering trees, but from its trunk. This characteristic is common to many species of tree, another such Southern African tree being Stamvrug. The orange or purple flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are incredibly rich in nectar, and the small, fleshy fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s are edible (but do not taste particularly good). It is a member of the Snapdragon
Scrophulariaceae
Scrophulariaceae, the figwort family, are a family of flowering plants. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with flowers with bilateral or rarely radial symmetry. Members of the Scrophulariaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority found in temperate areas, including...
family.
Distribution
The natural range of this tree extends throughout South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as well as northwards through East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
as far as Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Its natural habitats include deep afro-montane forest
Afromontane
Afromontane is a term used to describe the Afrotropic subregion and its plant and animal species common to the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
, forest fringes, open mountain slopes, gorges and river banks. Like many other trees, in a shady habitat (like deep forest) Halleria lucida grows tall and slender; while it forms a smaller shrub-like tree if grown in the open.
Growing Halleria lucida
Tough and easy to grow, Halleria lucida is becoming popular as an ornamental tree for gardens. It is undoubtedly one of the best trees in Africa for attracting birds, but it is usually grown more for its attractive foliage and flowers.It tolerates full sun as well as partial shade and, once established, it can also survive moderate drought. This makes it particularly suitable for growing in mildly arid areas. It is also a relatively fast-growing tree.
This is an excellent tree for bringing bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s to the garden. Hummingbirds are attracted by the nectar of the flowers, and the fruits attract a large range of other birds.
The leaves and fruits of Halleria lucida are an important component of traditional African medicine. In addition, it has a function in traditional Zulu religion, as the ceremonial burning of the leaves is believed to counter witchcraft and summon the protective spirits of dead ancestors.