''Cunonia capensis'', the butterspoon tree, butterknife tree, African red alder, red alder or rooiels, is a small tree found in the

afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions ...

forests of

southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...

, and along rivers. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens for its attractive glossy foliage and its clusters of tiny, scented, white flowers. It is the only one of 24 species of ''

Cunonia ''Cunonia'' is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Cunoniaceae. The genus has a disjunct distribution, with 24 species endemic to New Caledonia in the Pacific, and one species (''Cunonia capensis'') in Southern Africa. Leaves are opposite, ...

'' to occur outside of

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

in the Pacific.

Appearance

2 Cunonia capensis flowers on Devils Peak indigenous forest - Cape Town

''Cunonia capensis'' is a beautiful specimen tree, especially for southern African gardens. Its foliage is glossy, with tints of red, and it produces sprays of dense, fragrant, cream-coloured flowers from February to May (late austral summer to autumn). The flowers are bisexual and attract butterflies and honey bees. The fine seeds appear in tiny two-horned capsules, and are dispersed by birds and by wind. The large

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). Stipules are considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many speci ...

s which enclose the growth tip are pressed together in a spoon-like structure, giving the tree one of its common names, the butterspoon tree. Cunonia capensis - Cape Town 8

This

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 ...

garden tree does not grow well in arid conditions, as it prefers a slightly more temperate climate, and requires a great deal of water in its first few years. It tolerates some frost and it is very fast-growing - provided it has sufficient water. In the open sun it typically reaches about 5 meters, but in forests it can reach a height of up to 10 meters.

Distribution

Giant Cunonia capensis trees in Cape Town indigenous forests

''Cunonia capensis'' naturally ranges from

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and the

Western Cape The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...

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 ...

, eastwards all the way to

Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its no ...

and southern

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. It typically grows in the indigenous

Afromontane The Afromontane regions are subregions of the Afrotropical realm, one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms, covering the plant and animal species found in the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The Afromontane regions ...

forests of southern Africa, and especially beside rivers. In its natural range it greatly favours moist spots or areas with high rainfall. The genus ''

'' has a disjunct natural distribution, with 24 species occurring only on the island of

in the Pacific, and a single species (''Cunonia capensis'') in

Cultivation

Cunonia capensis Butterknife tree Cape Town 4

''Cunonia capensis'' is increasingly cultivated across southern Africa as an ornamental specimen tree. It is cultivated for its glossy foliage which is tinted with red, and its sprays of cream flowers. It grows well full sun and as well as shade, and it can be planted near buildings because it has a gentle, non-invasive root-system. This has recently made it popular in built-up areas. It requires a moist environment though, as trees planted in arid areas would require frequent watering, especially while still small. This has however also made it a very suitable tree for marshy, water-logged gardens, or the banks of rivers. The tree is usually cultivated from its tiny

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s, and the young plants need ample water and some shelter from direct sunlight. It is one of the fastest growing trees in southern Africa.

Appearance

Distribution

Cultivation

References

Further reading