''Buddleja saligna'', the false olive or bastard olive, is almost

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

where it has a wide distribution. It occurs most often in ravines and against outcrops, and is distributed from coastal elevations to the central plateau at elevations of < 2000 m. The species was first described and named by

Willdenow Carl Ludwig Willdenow (22 August 1765 – 10 July 1812) was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants. Willdenow was al ...

in 1809.Willdenow, C. L. (1809). ''Enum. Hort. Berol.'' 1:159, 1809.Leeuwenberg, A. J. M. (1979) ''The Loganiaceae of Africa XVIII Buddleja L. II, Revision of the African & Asiatic species''. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen, Nederland

Description

''Buddleja saligna'' is an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

shrub or small tree, growing < 15 m in height with a trunk diameter of 40 cm, and very similar to ''Salix'' and ''Olea''. The bark becomes longitudinally furrowed with age. The branchlets are quadrangular in section, and winged. The opposite, subcoriaceous narrowly elliptic to linear leaves vary considerably in size and shape, from 1.2 – 15 cm long by 0.2 – 3 cm wide. The upper surface of the leaf is medium to dark green, glabrous and smooth, while the underside is clothed in pale

stellate Stellate, meaning star-shaped, may refer to: * Stellate cell * Stellate ganglion * Stellate reticulum * Stellate veins * Stellate trichomes (hairs) on plants * Stellate laceration or incision Wound#Open * Stellate fan-shaped Espalier (one form ...

hairs. The honey - scented flowers are cream or white, occasionally with a reddish orange throat, appearing as large terminal heads 12 cm × 12 cm in spring and summer; the

corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name * Corolla (headgear), an ancient headdress in the form of a circlet or crown * ''Corolla'' (gastropod), a genus of moll ...

s are 4 mm in length. The dense timber (specific gravity 0.98) is of exceptionally high quality, though rarely found in sizes suitable for furniture.

Cultivation

''Buddleja saligna'' is hardy and frost resistant. In the UK, a specimen is grown as part of the

NCCPG Plant Heritage, formerly known as the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG), is a botanical conservation organisation in the United Kingdom and a registered charity. It was founded in 1978 to combine the talents of b ...

national collection held by

Longstock Park Longstock Park is in the civil parish of Longstock in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, and forms part of the Leckford Estate (1520 ha.), wholly owned by the John Lewis Partnership. Description Formerly Longstock Manor, of med ...

Nursery, near Stockbridge,

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

. The shrub grows easily in well-drained soil, and is notably tolerant of drought. Hardiness: USDA zone 9.Stuart, D. (2006). ''Buddlejas''. RHS Plant Collector Guide. Timber Press, Oregon.

References

* Palgrave, K. C. (1984). ''Trees of Southern Africa''. * Van Wyk & van Wyk. (1997). ''Field Guide to the Trees of South Africa''. * {{Taxonbar, from=Q3642760 saligna Flora of South Africa Trees of South Africa Flora of Africa Ornamental trees Trees of Mediterranean climate