Combretum bracteosum

Common Names

Hiccupnut (english)
Hikklimop (afrikaans)
uqotho (xhosa)

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Taxonomy

Family COMBRETACEAE
Genus Combretum
Species bracteosum
SA Plant Number 532.2
Basionym Combretum bracteosum

Description

Combretum bracteosum is a fairly hardy, deciduous scrambler has unusual, dull olive-green leaves, and is a particularly attractive foliage plant.

It bears gorgeous, big heads of red flowers from September to December. Unusually for a Combretum, it has nuts and not 4-winged seeds.These nuts are edible when roasted, although they can give you hiccups, hence the common name.It is a host plant to the Striped Policeman butterfly and a few moth species. Attracts many birds to the garden, especially for nesting opportunities.

The Hiccupnut is a good garden subject that can be used for covering banks or walls. Makes a wonderful container plant.

Prune the long climbing stems to encourage it to make a dense round bush. Grows in semi-shade, in well-drained soil.

Size: Climbs up to 8m

Wildlife

Uses

Distribution

KwaZulu Natal, Eastern. Cape

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