You can’t, not be impressed by something like this. If you don’t know what it is, it can be pretty hard to explain what exactly it is that you are looking at… is it even a tree?
In Afrikaans, it is referred to as a “Naboom” which literally translated means “Nearly a tree”.
Scientific name: Euphorbia Ingens.
This fine specimen is located on Amakhosi’s Mint Plains, which is a nice open clearing not to far from the main lodge.
The Euphorbia Ingens is distributed throughout KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Limpopo Province, Gauteng, North-West Province, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and further into tropical Africa.
It is an upright, succulent tree with a dark green crown which is well rounded and often shaped like a hot-air balloon. It grows up to 12 m and the branches are segmented with spines running along the ridges of the segments. It produces small, greenish yellow flowers on the ridges of the topmost segment of every branch from autumn to winter. The fruit, a round 3-lobed capsule, turns red to purple when ripening.
Being completely unique in appearance this tree does not only look interesting but has some interesting facts and uses…
The latex of this tree is extremely toxic and can cause severe skin irritations, blindness and severe illness to humans and animals if swallowed.
It is said that cattle driven through these plants can be so severely affected that they have to be put down.
But if correctly applied, it can be medicinally used as a purgative or for the treatment of ulcers.
It is also said to be used by the Venda and Sotho people as a cure for cancer.
The branches are used as a fish poison in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
And the wood from the main trunk is light and tough so is used to make doors, planks and boats.
Before the tree is cut down, a fire should be made around it, to set the sap.
So carrying the name of “nearly a tree”, it seems to be quite an amazing o one!
Reference: http://www.plantzafrica.com/
In Afrikaans, it is referred to as a “Naboom” which literally translated means “Nearly a tree”.
Scientific name: Euphorbia Ingens.
This fine specimen is located on Amakhosi’s Mint Plains, which is a nice open clearing not to far from the main lodge.
The Euphorbia Ingens is distributed throughout KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Limpopo Province, Gauteng, North-West Province, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and further into tropical Africa.
It is an upright, succulent tree with a dark green crown which is well rounded and often shaped like a hot-air balloon. It grows up to 12 m and the branches are segmented with spines running along the ridges of the segments. It produces small, greenish yellow flowers on the ridges of the topmost segment of every branch from autumn to winter. The fruit, a round 3-lobed capsule, turns red to purple when ripening.
Being completely unique in appearance this tree does not only look interesting but has some interesting facts and uses…
The latex of this tree is extremely toxic and can cause severe skin irritations, blindness and severe illness to humans and animals if swallowed.
It is said that cattle driven through these plants can be so severely affected that they have to be put down.
But if correctly applied, it can be medicinally used as a purgative or for the treatment of ulcers.
It is also said to be used by the Venda and Sotho people as a cure for cancer.
The branches are used as a fish poison in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
And the wood from the main trunk is light and tough so is used to make doors, planks and boats.
Before the tree is cut down, a fire should be made around it, to set the sap.
So carrying the name of “nearly a tree”, it seems to be quite an amazing o one!
Reference: http://www.plantzafrica.com/
