Cussonia paniculata

Ecklon & Zeyher

Cabbage Tree, Mountain cabbage tree

Araliaceae Edible: Root, Fruit, Leaves 3,220 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Cussonia paniculata, also known as kiepersol, is a large evergreen shrub or small tree up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height native to South Africa. The plant has large and bold textured grey foliage.

Description

A small tree. It grows up to 5 m tall and has few branches. The trunk is rough, brown and corky. The bark is grey and cracked along its length. The trunk can be 60 cm across. The branches have prominent leaf scars. The leaves can be 60 cm across. They are made up of 7-9 leaflets arranged like a fan. The leaflets are entire and lobed. The form segments with constrictions between them. Each leaflet is 10-30 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. They are a pale blue-grey. The edges are toothed. The flowers are small and green. They occur in densely flowers spikes. These are 2.5-5 cm long. They are branched. The fruit is fleshy and 6 cm across. They are purple when mature.

Edible Uses

The thick tuberous root is peeled and eaten as an emergency food or for moisture. The ripe fruit is also edible.

Traditional Uses

The thick tuberous root is peeled and eaten as an emergency food or for moisture. The fruit are edible when ripe.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The leaf is used ethnomedically to treat dysmenorrhea.

Distribution

It is native to South Africa. It grows inland and up to 2100 m altitude. It often grows in rocky places. It cannot tolerate heavy frosts. It is drought tolerant. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Wittunga Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Africa, Australia, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa*, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from cuttings. They can also be grown from fresh seeds.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as possible because it loses much of its viability within 3 months. However, seed sown in summer months will germinate faster (in about 4 weeks) than seed sown in winter (7 weeks to germination). Sow the seed in seed trays in a semi-shaded position, ensuring at least 15cm depth of soil to allow the small tubers to form. Do not allow seed to become waterlogged or dry out. Seedlings can be transplanted at about 4 months, but be very careful not to damage the fleshy roots when transplanting. Plants can be grown from cuttings, but this is inadvisable because they do not make the proper, fleshy, underground rootstock that forms when plants are grown from seed

Other Uses

The wood is soft and light and was used for the brake-blocks of wagons.

Production

It is fairly slow growing.

Notes

There are 20 Cussonia species. They occur in South Africa.

Also Known As

Bergkiepersol, Highveld Cabbage tree, Hoeveldse kiepersol, Motsetse, Umsenge

References (21)

Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 138
Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 308
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 447
Enum. pl. afric. austral. 355. 1837
Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 247

Show all 21 references

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