Avo tree has withstood 75 years
Benoni’s history is not often associated with its trees.
There is however, an avocado pear tree in the Benoni CBD, in Lake Avenue, which has been engrained in people’s memories for about 75 years.
The large tree is situated outside CT Systems.
The City Times met Putfontein resident Doreen Pretorius at the towering tree, which she said her father, Willie Reeves, planted more than seven decades ago at his home; the building is now occupied by CT Systems.
Her father bought a bag of avos near Benoni and planted some of the pips.
Of all those planted, one flourished – and still seems to be doing so today.
Co-owner of CT Systems, Andy Steenkamp, said the business has been in its current location for about 30 years.
He ensured the tree wasn’t chopped down when they took over the property, as half of it is on the perimeter line of the business and the other half on the pavement.
“I insisted that we had to build around the tree,” said Steenkamp.
The Farrarmere resident said many people have over the years thrown stones at the large avos to dislodge them, resulting in the loss of a few windows on the first-storey of the business.
Others have climbed the tree to gain access into the building; and the avos have broken a “good few windscreens” when they fell onto vehicles.
“I sometimes pick avos from my office window with a pole,” Steenkamp said.
Pretorius lamented, as she reminisced about the day her father planted the tree on the property they once called home.
She said her father cared greatly for the fruit tree.
“Don’t hurt the tree, don’t hurt the tree,” he used to tell Pretorius when she walked past it, as she would occasionally pull on the branches.
When it looked like the tree was going to die, Reeves hit a few nails into the bark and put iron shavings around the roots.
Pretorius said she still pictures her mother, “Meitjie” Reeves sitting underneath the great shade provided by the tree, as she did that on most hot days.
Jannie Knoetze, of Auto Diesel Engineering, which is opposite CT Systems, said he admires the tree.
“The only problem are the leaves in my shop; it makes me crazy,” he joked.
The avos are picked twice a year using a cherry picker and distributed amongst the staff of CT Systems.
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