Specialist in favour of tree wisteria to replace jacaranda
When it comes to an urban forest, the tree specialist believes in keeping it indigenous and highlights this tree for taking over from the jacaranda.
It is jacaranda season in Pretoria, but here and there you might see a beautiful purple blooming tree resembling the iconic Pretoria tree, but taking a closer look, one can spot a few differences.
You might have happened upon the Bolusanthus speciosus or as it is also called, the Vanwykshout tree or tree wisteria.
Mpho Mathalauga, a tree specialist at the South African Botanical Institute at the Pretoria Botanical Garden, is proud of the lane of this spectacular indigenous tree fully in flower on the service road in front of the Garden in Cussonia Road, mimicking the splendour of jacaranda trees.
“It is a magnificent ornamental tree and has striking purple flowers. It is well suited for furniture wood and the straight growing stems are used for fence posts. It is remarkably durable and termite-resistant. Its roots are utilised in alleviating stomach cramps,” explained this tree lover from Limpopo.
“Given time and effort, this tree could replace jacaranda trees when they die. They can carpet Pretoria streets with indigenous purple blooms instead,” said Mothalauga.
Bolusanthus honours Harry Bolus (1834 to 1911), a South African botanist and founder of the Cape Town Bolus Herbarium; speciosus means beautiful or showy in Latin.
He feels the tree is at present not being utilised to its full potential.
“If a jacaranda that died is replaced in gardens in Pretoria with the Bolusanthus or planted for its own sake, the vibrant purple landscape of our urban forest remains the same. It is an excellent replacement tree. Retail nurseries could play a pivotal role in promoting the tree and highlighting its ecological value,” said Mathalauga.
Read the full article on: Pretoria Rekord
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