To Dutch version
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| The Schotia
brachypetala is a tree that is native in South-Africa. His English common name is Tree Fuchsia. The original population of South-Africa
names him Weeping Boer-bean or Huilboerboom. This denomination thanks the tree to the pods
with in it eatable seeds, literal is the translation then also 'farmers bean'. Of the
roasted seeds the 'Voortrekkers' made a coffee substitute, the so-called 'Voortrekkers
coffee'. Those seeds are also very beloved by birds and animals. When using by people this
drink seam to clean blood, it prevents suffering from gastric juice and it combats a
'hang-over'. In the common
name the word 'weeping' refers to two factors. On the one side to the parasitair 'foam
cicada' who lives in this tree, on the other side to the abundant quantity of trickling
down nectar that is present in the flowers. An other - less probability - explanation for
this word would refer to the weeping and lamenting that was to be hear in the camps of the
'Boeren' when their coffee ran low and there then wasn' t standing a Schotia in
the environs of a camp. |
| The tree can reach a
respectable height of about 22 m. The round crown has wide spreading branches. The fair
hardy not quickly growing Schotia brachypetala is in the counties of origin a
populair tree for application in the garden. |
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| In
spring the Tree Fuchsia has a kaleidoscopic of colours. Clusters of
bright, waxy crimson flowers attract many birds and insects. Remarcable are the little
flowers. They are incomplete and are missing the petals. The sepals form together a
miniature cup, which is filled with nectar. Birds as the Sunbird ( a species of
hummingbirds) are mad of it. The
flowers are also a source of food for monkeys and baboons. By there play these animals
then often bite off leaves. The young redbrown leaf becomes soon bright green and lateron
glossy darkgreen, what lively contrasts with the close clusters of crimson flowers. |
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'Gelderse Fuchsia Info' November
2008 |
