Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Natal Forest Loquat

This is the 47th in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article will be the Natal Forest Loquat, Oxyanthus Pyriformis.

We have no Christmas trees in Pigeon Valley, but at this season the bright green of the new leaves of the Forest Loquat and its spectacularly white candle-like flowers, with their softly pervasive scent, give a sense of both reverence and celebration. The leaves are very broad and smooth.

This is one of a small group of trees that makes Pigeon Valley unique, like the Natal Elm and the rare, unidentified Cryptocarya that has two specimens here. The Oxyanthus pyriformis, subspecies pyriformis (the second word refers to the candle shape of the flowers) is very rare indeed, and was originally found only at Stainbank Reserve and Pigeon Valley, though it has now been planted at a small reserve on the Bluff. You will not find it growing elsewhere along the Berea, though to my surprise four managed to grow in my garden, benefitting from my calculated neglect.

ALSO READ: Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Red-backed Shrike

What the Natal Elm and the Oxyanthus have in common is that, though very rare, they are in significant numbers in Pigeon Valley, the Forest Loquat, in some places, forming small groves. This is a beautiful tree of modest height that thrives under the canopy.

Though I find the occasional new sapling, there have been concerns though over its ability to reproduce and sustain the population. A paper by botanists from UKZN (Johnson et al. 2004) reported that the hawkmoths that pollinate it with their long proboscis are attracted to streetlights and often fail to go to the flowers. This is one example of how human practices can unwittingly cause pollination failure.

As a result, seeing even one fruit on a tree is rare. One year a group of us got ladders and tried to pollinate some by hand, which was a great example of civic action though I did not notice any success! My plan is to try again this year and see if we can measure the fruits of our labour.

Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.

The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.

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