''Cussonia thyrsiflora'', known as the Cape coast cabbage tree, or Kaapse kuskiepersol in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

, is a small evergreen tree in the family

Araliaceae The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguisha ...

Range

It naturally occurs in

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 ...

along the southern Cape coast, between

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

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

Habit

It can be grown as an attractive shrub or tree for coastal gardens, as it can withstand beach soils and winds. However, it also thrives in acidic or clay soils. It is normally a thick evergreen shrub with bisexual yellow flowers and black fruits, however it can be pruned to allow it to grow as a proper tree of up to 5 meters. Cussonia thyrsiflora - Coastal Cabbage Tree - Cape Point 2

Cussonia thyrsiflora - Coastal Cabbage Tree - Cape Point 2

References

Araliaceae Trees of South Africa {{tree-stub