Posters will be on display at the Expo providing information on our local flora.

Celtis africana / White Stinkwood / iNdwandwazane

The White Stinkwood Tree is a typical southern African forest tree, growing up to 12m tall. The White Stinkwood has a whitish wood which, when freshly cut, has an unpleasant smell. The wood is medium hard and is used in traditional African households to make furniture and household implements.

Syzygium cordatum / Waterberry / uMdoni

The Waterberry Tree is a large forest tree commonly found near rivers and wetlands. The purple fruits are used traditionally in African households to make wine and a purple dye, as well as used medicinally to treat stomach and respiratory ailments. The wood is medium hard and heavy, and used for building traditional African homesteads and boats. The bark is traditionally used as a fish poison and for making a red-brown dye for woven fibre baskets.

Acacia xanthophloea / Fever Tree / uMhlosinga

The Fever Tree is known for its powdery yellow bark, and is found in swampy areas on the east coast of Africa. The location of the tree in swampy areas, also associated with the occurrence of malaria, led early travellers to associate the tree with the disease and so it became known as the “fever tree”. In traditional African cultures the bark is used to treat fevers and eye complaints. The wood is white and hard, and is used for making furniture and woodcarvings.

Olea woodiana / Forest Olive / uMnquma

The Forest Olive is a typical forest tree in low altitude regions of East Africa. The bark of this tree is used in traditional African medicine as an appetite stimulant and a nerve tonic. The wood is very hard and heavy, described as “steel-like”, and is used to make walking sticks.

Trichilia dregeana / Forest Mahogany / uMathunzini

The Forest Natal Mahogany Tree is a very large tree growing up to 30m tall in East African forests. The bright orange and black seeds, as well as the bark and leaves are used in traditional African medicine. The wood, which is a pinkish colour, is used to make furniture, carved spoons, dishes and headrests. The wood was also used for ship repairs at Durban’s harbour in the 1800s.

Rauvolfia caffra / Quinine Tree / uMhlambamanzi

The Quinine Tree is a large tree found in riverine forests in eastern and tropical Africa. The white milky latex found in the leaves and bark was once believed to be a cure for malaria but this has subsequently been shown to be untrue. The bark and roots have since been found to contain alkaloids that are used to treat high blood pressure, and are also widely used in traditional African medicine. The wood is soft and light, and is used to make drums, spoons and woodcarvings.