Plants of the Kruger National Park

Height:

up to 1 m

Interesting Facts:

grows on termitaria and various soils; young grass usually eaten

E,K

Height:

up to 1 m

Interesting Facts:

prefers sandy soils and disturbed areas

A,N

Height:

up to 0,6 m

Interesting Facts:

prefers sandy soils; long bare stem with distinctive yellow bristles

A,B,C,N

Height:

0,5 m

Interesting Facts:

conserves the soil by providing a natural framework underneath

A,B

Height:

up to 1,5 m

Interesting Facts:

normally eaten by grazers that prefer tall grass; used for thatching

B

Height:

up to 1,5 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by most grazers; prefers sandy soils

A,C,D,F,I,
J,K,LN,O,P

Height:

up to 2.,5 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by most grazers, especially white rhino; usually grows under trees and uses the branches for support

A-P, except M

Height:

up to 1 m

Interesting Facts:

mostly utilized when young; prefers sandy soils and disturbed areas

A,C,F,I,J,L,M,N

Height:

up to 4 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by larger grazers mostly during the dry season, i.e. elephants; weavers often use reeds for nesting areas; large grazers make distinct paths through the reeds

H

Height:

0,3-1,5 m

Interesting Facts:

commonly eaten by grazers preferring tall grass, i.e. zebra and buffalo

C,K,E,F,I,
J,L,N,O

Height:

up to 0,7 m

Interesting Facts:

commonly eaten by waterbuck and roan; prefers stony soils

A,B,C,D,F,
I,J,L,N,O,P

Height:

up to 0,7 m

Interesting Facts:

normally only eaten when young; usually near termitaria and stony slopes

C,E,F,G,I
,J,K,L,N,O,

Height:

up to 2 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by most grazers; prefers marshes and baslat, gabbro and/or clay

E,F,H

Height:

up to 3 m

Interesting Facts:

normally eaten by grazers that prefer tall grass; common in areas with high rainfall; used for making thatched roofs

A,B,C

Height:

10-18 m

Interesting Facts:

trees are taller near water; commonly found in the listed ecozones; there is a local belief among tribesmen that anyone in the immediate family who cuts down the tree will wander from home forever

B,D,F,H,L,
M,N,P

Height:

up to 25 m

Interesting Facts:

tree has an upside-down appearance; usually found near Pafuri in the extreme northern region; can live up to several thousand years; some tribesman use the fruit to make a drink, medicine and even soup; legendary tree

I,L,N

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by browers, i.e. elephants and kudu; thorns are white; one of the first trees to bloom in the bushveld

H,M

Height:

up to 10 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by browsers; puffy white blooms; dark brown fruit

D,H,M

Height:

up to 9 m

Interesting Facts:

deciduous; browsed extensively, especially yellowish-brown berries; curved thorns; often used for medicinal purposes, especially for chest and stomach disorders; limbs often used on Zulu graves; tree known to deflect lightning

All

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

not browsed; poisonous branches; birds consume fruit; tribesmen use the poisonous branches to make fish die and float to the top; milky-like poison can blind and cause blisters

I

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by browsers; often confused with the knob thorn; frequented by borer beetles

G

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by browsers and destroyed by elephants; blooms small yellow flowers in spring; distinctive yellow-green trunk; attracts mosquitoes

F,H,M

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

yellowish-brown fruit which resembles dates; frequently eaten by taller browsers such as elephants and giraffe

D,N

Height:

9 m

Interesting Facts:

thorns are long and sharp; curly pods eaten by monkeys

A,C,D

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

fruits are glossy green berries with reputed medicinal value, including the treatment of leprosy and ringworm; tribesmen use the berries to make an alcoholic beverage; jackal berry seeds often found in the dung of jackals; inner wood is known as "African ebony" and is often used for carvings

B,H,M

Height:

up to 16 m

Interesting Facts:

enjoyed by browsers, especially by giraffes because thorns usually are sparse on top branches; often confused with the black monkey thorn; often the homes of hornbills, woodpeckers and barbets

A,C,D,E,F,
H,I,J,K,L,O,P

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

dark fruit often browsed by elephants; palm leaves shaped like fans with pointed ends; alcoholic beverages made from sap

H

Height:

12 m

Interesting Facts:

produces largest fruit of all bushwillows; without thorns; deciduous; fruit has four distinct protrusions, no true trunk

A,B,C,D,I
,N,P

Height:

up to 6 m

Interesting Facts:

shallow roots often seen clinging onto nearby rocks; enjoyed by many animals including warthogs and monkeys

All except M

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

deciduous; without thorns; fruit has four distinct protrusions; no true trunk; usually found with marula and knob thorn trees; wood often used for making fires and the ashes used for making paint for kraal huts

F,G,H,J,K
,L,M

Height:

up to 6 m

Interesting Facts:

rarely browsed; small, hard fruits with a rust colour;

All

Height:

up to 11 m

Interesting Facts:

usually seen with Delagoa thorn; leaves are consumed

G

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

enjoyed by all browsers; green to yellow berries; used to make beer and brandy; local tribesmen use the bark to treat stomach disorders such as diarrhoea; Marula beer is sold at some rest camps; believed to prevent malaria

All

Height:

up to 40 m

Interesting Facts:

yellow flowers in the summer months; rarely browsed; tallest tree in the bushveld; excellent wood

H,M

Height:

2 m (shrub) and 18 m (tree)

Interesting Facts:

easily recognized; frequented by many browsers, especially the elephants; one of the most important food sources for the elephant; worms considered delicacy among local tribes

E,J,L,M,O,P

Height:

up to 10 m

Interesting Facts:

similar to white seringa except for the crown and flowers; elephants are the usual browsers

B,C

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

the leaves are rarely browsed and the hairy fruit usually eaten by birds, baboons and monkeys; extremely beautiful

B,H,M

Height:

up to 30 m

Interesting Facts:

mainly found in the extreme northern part of the park near Pafuri; green bean-like fruits which contain a black seed often used as ornaments; frequented by monkeys and other browsers

H,M,N

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

most commonly found in the extreme northern region of the park; large, black pods with red and black seeds; very shady; ornaments made from the seeds; frequented by elephants

I,N

Height:

2-5 m

Interesting Facts:

yellow flowers; fruits enjoyed by many species of game and birds; fruit high in protein

All

Height:

up to 9 m

Interesting Facts:

not utilized as food; without thorns; deciduous; fruit has four distinct protrusions, no true trunk; grain of the wood is beautiful when polished; can be used for braais or barbeques

A,C,D,I,J,
L,N,P

Height:

15 m

Interesting Facts:

enjoyed by elephants; yellow flowers; commonly browsed

A,B,C,D,F,I,
P

Height:

up to 8 m

Interesting Facts:

light to dark brown fruit; without thorns; deciduous; fruit has four distinct protrusions, no true trunk

B,D,G,J,L,
M,N,P

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

fruit is not known to be a dedicated food source for any species; yellowish elongated, sausage-shaped fruit which is known to be poisonous; used medicinally by local tribesmen; some tribesmen believe that if a young boy climbs the sausage tree and picks the big fruit, then he will be a big man

B,H,M

Height:

up to 7 m

Interesting Facts:

eaten by browsers, i.e. small antelope; many thorns; long pods which resemble strings of beads; pods have strong but pleasant smell; pods known to kill snails

A,C,D

Height:

up to 5 m

Interesting Facts:

pods are nutricious; yellow, fuzzy flower is fertile and the pink is sterile; often found in disturbed areas

All

Height:

8 m

Interesting Facts:

tree not extremely as a food source; predominately see in the northern region and south of the Olifants camp near the Lebombo mountains; sometimes used to treat stomach disorders but some consider it to be poisonous; long, silver to grey leaves

A,B,D,N,P

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

gigantic tree; the leaves are rarely browsed but the figs are often consumed by birds and other animals; often seen in rest camps full of weaver nests

B,H,M

Height:

up to 10 m

Interesting Facts:

poisonous leaves; bark colour is dark brown with streaks; moths use the fruits to lay eggs; do not burn as smoke is toxic

B,D,H,N,O

Height:

9 m

Interesting Facts:

deciduous; rarely browsed; branches split into twigs which are protected by thorn-like protrusions

A,C,I,J

Height:

up to 7 m

Interesting Facts:

not browsed; very distinct shape of a candelabra with long bare trunk and branches only at very top; birds consume fruit; similar branches to Common Euphorbia; inner tree is very toxic and can even cause burning just by breathing the fumes

C,I,J

Height:

up to 7 m

Interesting Facts:

Leaves are essential food for many browsers and fruit is often consumed; yellowish-green flowers; salty leaves which attract game

M

Height:

up to 15 m

Interesting Facts:

weeping appearance; eaten by browsers; few limbs; purple, grape-like flowers

D,E,G

Height:

up to 11 m

Interesting Facts:

enjoyed by all browsers; easily located due to its umbrella-like appearance; white flower puffs bloom in the summer and are known to cause hay fever; some trees protected by large rocks so elephants cannot destroy

D,E,F,H,J,
L,O

Height:

up to 12 m

Interesting Facts:

red flowers; nectar of the flowers attract sun birds; some tribesman use bark and roots for medicinal purposes such as in curing sickness from alcohol

B,H,M

Height:

up to 20 m

Interesting Facts:

commonly found in mountainous or rocky areas; small white flowers; sometimes browsed; often used to make various carvings like bowls and spoons; roots used to soothe toothaches; roots used to quench thirst

I,J

Height:

up to 6 m

Interesting Facts:

yellow date-like fruit; commonly consumed by elephants, monkeys, baboons, and birds; beer and wine made from the sap; hats often made from fibres

H