Most of us have grown up with plenty of syringa trees in our gardens and public spaces.
They grow easily, provide shade and are visited by some birds, including loeries. Their little mauve flowers have a recognisable fragrance, and the squishy yellow-brown seeds (poisonous to humans) at the end of the flowering season are a familiar sight.
Unfortunately, though, syringas have become very problematic in our environment, displacing indigenous trees and shrubs and reducing biodiversity. Our lovely South Coast climate really encourages them to flourish. Syringas tend to take over, forming big stands, especially near and along watercourses, choking up streams and negatively affecting water quality. In fact, syringas are so invasive in South Africa that they are classified as Class 1b Alien Invader Plants (AIPs), and it is illegal to buy, sell or plant them in an urban environment.
The Cape chestnut tree is one of the indigenous trees that syringa displaces and a perfect replacement for any syringas one might like to remove. Named by a British botanist who noticed that the flowers and seeds resemble those of the European chestnut, the Cape chestnut is not a chestnut at all – it belongs to the citrus family – but it is a very valuable source of food for birds, butterflies and other insects, as well as monkeys and other wildlife. It is a host plant for swallowtail and orange dog butterflies, and Remeron and olive pigeons, cinnamon doves, and Cape parrots eat the seeds. The seeds are believed to have magic properties, and the kernels can be crushed and boiled to make an oil for soap. The oil is also used as a skin moisturiser known as yangu oil. The bark is used as an ingredient for facial skin care.
Known as umbaba in isiXhosa and isiZulu and wildekastaiing in Afrikaans, it is a fast grower and has non-invasive roots, making it ideal for gardens. The tree is strikingly beautiful, with smooth grey bark and a pretty umbrella-shaped canopy. It’s a real showstopper when it flowers, providing a spectacular show of pink flowers from July until February or March – a beauty that has earned it the nickname ‘queen of trees’ in some gardening circles.
The Cape chestnut is one of the indigenous gems featured in The Green Net’s Biodiversity Calendar for 2025. This will be our third annual wall calendar, designed to provide South Coast communities with information and inspiration to restore biodiversity in our area. Local service clubs, businesses and individuals are invited to sponsor the printing of the calendar and display their logos on calendar pages.
Contact Helen on 084 9872018 or Joan on 083 2667953 if you would like to be part of this adventure.
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