Scutia myrtina

Scutia myrtina

Quantity:

Common Names

Cat-Thorn (english)
Katdoring (afrikaans)
isiphingo (zulu)
uqapula (xhosa)

Taxonomy

Family RHAMNACEAE
Genus Scutia
Species myrtina
SA Plant Number 451
Basionym Scutia myrtina

Description

Scutia myrtina is a hardy, evergreen, drought resistant, thorny shrub with beautiful glossy, tiny leaves.

The new growth of leaves is a pretty bronze colour. It makes a lovely scandent shrub, which can be trained to climb or pruned into an attractive hedge.

It has fragrant, small, white flowers from October to January and edible fruits that attract birds to the garden (I have to get up early to beat the birds to the seeds).

It is an important butterfly host plant. Plant in sun or semi-shade. Makes a good addition to a security hedge. 

Size 2m or climbs to 15m

Wildlife

Host Plant:

It is an important butterfly host plant.

Birds:

The fruit attract many birds to the garden.

Uses

Distribution

Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal,  Eastern Cape, Western Cape

Biome:
Forest

Natural Habitat:

Evergreen Forest, Forest margin

 

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