Re: on line sources for South African Plants and Seeds

David -- Sorry about the delay in reply with this. I feel compelled to go
out & make some money every now & then & get very busy when I do. Then the
feeling goes away & I'm OK for another couple of weeks.


Glenn,

I've enjoyed reading your comments on the
Mediterranean Plants Discussion group, and was
wondering if you had any information on discussion
groups or websites which specifically deal with South
African species?

I'm afraid not. They probably do exist. I've never gone looking.

Do you publish a current
availability list for your wholesale nursery, and are
you set up to ship overseas?

I'm one of the last of the backyard nurserymen. Working on about 1 hectare
( 2&1/2 acre ? ) of land & doing mass commercial lines - Pentas,
Heliotropum,
Cheiranthus etc - & don't think I'd have too much of interest to you. I'm
not geared up for overseas shipment. The bureaucracy with phytosanitarys &
CITES clearances is pretty labrinthine & puts most people off, so I don't
know anyone who does either.

While I was in Saudi Arabia, I had several nurserymen
there ask me if I knew of sources for South African
seeds for trees and shrubs, and I could only think of
Silverhill Seeds, which I don't think specializes much
in trees.

There are several other seed suppliers, but Silverhill would have to have
the most comprehensive range. Kirstenbosch is a possibility though the
viability of a lot of their material has proved to be doubtful.

While reading Pitta Joffe's book,
Gardener's Guide to South African Plants, I've
realized that there is a wealth of plants which we
have yet to try in California, and wonder why they
have not already been introduced into the trade. I
was wondering if you grow or can grow the following
species in your area, or if they need the more
subtopical conditions of Natal/east coast South
Africa:

Bolusanthus speciosus(appears from several posters
that this is very slow growing under coastal
California conditions from seed, even in San Diego),

You're pushing the limits with most of these in a Med climate. Capetown is
mainly your zone 10 equivalent with the drying wind being the main limiting
factor. Survival of many subtropical species is possible, but they mostly
prove slow & very water demanding. Bolusanthus is very marginal

Tetradenia riparia, - Yes, does well here. Its relatively drought hardy &
will get by on a weekly to 10 day watering. Rather brittle so I keep it
trimmed into a tight bush in a sheltered corner. Lovely spring flowers
remniscent of Tamarix.

Xylotheca kraussiana, - Not familiar with this one & can't say I've seen it
here. By the literature it would fall in the summer rain area.

Pavetta lanceolata, -  Possible. Its from the temperate rainforests along
the Garden Route. Survives on the dryer side, but is a water demander for
good growth. It is a shade plant. Lovely to see in full flower but subject
to a tip mite - for me at least - which distorts all the growths & flowers.

Rothmannia globosa, - Possible again.I've seen several nice specimens here.
Quite drought hardy but do need that extra summer water for good growth &
flowering. Also the related SA Gardenias are worth thinking of here as
well - especially the G. thunbergii. The grouping might well have a lime
intolerance which could limit you though.

Dais cotinifolia - (can be grown here but not sure how much heat it needs to
bloom?), - There are lovely examples here in Capetown again. This really is
a magnificent tree when its in flower. Theres a particularly fine one at the
old entrance to Kirstenbosch, set in the middle of an expanse of brick
paving, so it definitely gets the heat. I've got one on my weekly drip line
along the top fence & while it survives - it barely moves. Can very quickly
burn off in the summer wind & look ratty as well.

Dichrostachys cinerea subsp. africana, - I had to look this one up. Never
seen it here. Its a definite summer rain member.

Nymania capensis - The Karoo klapperbos - probably about the only thing on
this list which could take any degree of frost & one of the few shrubs from
the Karoo with real ornamental value. It would go well for you, though you
seldom see it in cultivation in Capetown, paradoxically, I guess thats
because people give it summer water to help it along. Must be summer dry
with very free drainage. Full sun. I don't know that your fogs might even
prove detrimental to it.

The following Cape species  have been grown here in
California in the past, or are grown here at Strybing
Arboretum, but don't seem to be in the trade, can you
say if it is because they are difficult to propagate,
or have other drawbacks?

Virgilia capensis, - This really surprises me that its not freely available.
Very easy to propagate from seed ( definitely responds to smoke treatment ).
Very quick growing & very attractive. Lovely musky scent. Would need a bit
of side watering the
first few summers to get it established. The V.divaricata is probably the
more attractive one to go for, though whether this deserves its own specific
status or is just a form of V.capensis is debatable.They are pioneer plants,
normally inhabiting forest margins & providing shade & nursery conditions
for the forest seedlings to get established in. Occasionally you'll find
long lived specimens in benign, sheltered spots, but generally they're very
short lived - say 10 to 15 years. Their main limit in the Cape is the wind.
They have a tendency to outgrow  their roots & get top heavy so they topple
easily. I had great success on a previous propertys verge with a row  of 10
I put in as a shelter belt & a cover for an interplanting of yellow-woods (
Podocarpus latifolia ). I staked them well & grew on for 18 months until
they were 2-3m. I then cut them back to half height & let them go again.
Naturally, they can tend to grow straight up & ' leggy '. This way I got a
stockier, bushier, more rounded tree which is more in balance with its
roots. They're about 15 years old now & still look lovely & strong.
.......The yellow-woods didn't make it - the council guys ringbarked them
all with their weed eaters.....

Polygala virgata, - Grown here but not commonly seen. Very beautiful in
flower. I associate it as a riverside plant in the wild. Cooler, moister.
Definitely doesn't take a full dry Med type climate but would require
additional summer water. It would probably like your mists.

Podalyria calyptrata, - All the podalyrias should go well for you & easy
from seed ( as is the polygala ). Very drought hardy being a true fynbos
plant. Can get top heavy & leggy as well so it pays to pinch it back when
young to force bushing.

 Calodendrum capense(never seems to bloom in cooler maritime climates such
as San
Francisco/Strybing) - Not truly speaking a Med. plant, but once again
happier in the summer rain areas, so requires additional summer water. I do
have one on the property, about 10 years old & still hasn't flowered. Its
hit the watertable & looking very healthy. They do flower in Capetown & can
be beautiful when they do. I think most people these days are so addicted to
instant gratification they can't wait the length of time necessary for it to
develop to its flowering age. If theres one thing gardening teaches you -
its patience. A problem with the species is that seed sown plants can be
very variable in their flowering, so you can wait 10 years & then find
you've got something very wishy-washy. Half ripe cuttings from selected
specimens is the way to go.

Any info on these would be most appreciated, as well
as any info you might have on other on-line discussion
groups about south african plants.

Regards,
David Feix

I hope this helps. Sorry I can't be more helpful on online info.

Regards       Glenn ........ In Capetown, where over the last week we've had
4 days well up in the 30s & now we've got a good, deep soaking rain - in mid
summer - .... go figure.......
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