© Geoff Nichols
The African dog rose, Xylotheca kraussiana, is a multistemmed
shrub or small tree that forms a good focal point in a garden with
its beautiful flowers and woody fruits. Its natural distribution
is confined to the eastern part of southern Africa.
It is a spineless, multistemmed shrub or small tree, usually between
one and seven metres in height, but occasionally up to ten metres.
The bark is light grey and smooth. The leaves are alternate, dark
green on the upper surface, paler beneath, with or without hairs
on both surfaces, elliptic in shape and with leaf stalks up to 10
mm long. The flowers are large, up to 70 mm in diameter, sweetly
scented, with brilliant white petals and a mass of bright yellow
anthers in the centre-the feature which led to its English common
name of African dog rose.
flowers can be male or bisexual. Flowering is often prolific with
the flowering season extending from spring to summer. The fruit
is a woody capsule, ovoid in shape, often with longitudinal ridges.
Initially green in colour, it ripens to yellow and then dehisces/splits
into ± 8 rather thick sections, revealing the reddish black
seeds, each covered by a bright red, hairy, edible aril.
by Aleida van der Merwe of Xylotheca kraussiana in Flowering
Plants of Africa
It occurs naturally in the eastern region of southern Africa, from
Transkei to Mozambique, in coastal bush and forest, but also in
sand forest and bushveld. It is suitable for cultivation, particularly
in the warmer, frost-free areas of the country.
Derivation of name and historical aspects
The atttractive woody fruit capsules are the link to the word Xylotheca,
with xyl meaning woody, and theca meaning case. The
specific name kraussiana honours Dr C.F.F. Krauss (1812-1890),
a German naturalist, who later became director of Stuttgart's Natural
History Museum. Krauss came to the Cape in 1838, and did much plant
collecting in Natal in 1839 and 1840.
Xylotheca kraussiana is the only species of Xylotheca
in South Africa. Another species, Xylotheca tettensis, is
found in eastern Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It differs in having obovate
to broadly oblong leaves and seeds that are in a yellowish or scarlet
pulp; no aril is present. The other ± eight species of Xylotheca
occur in the rest of Africa and Madagascar.
Xylotheca kraussiana also resembles Oncoba spinosa,
but Oncoba has spiny branches and globose, indehiscent fruits.
Xylotheca kraussiana is a good plant to bring nature back
to your garden. Joffe (2001) notes that Crested, Pied and Blackcollared
barbets, Redfaced and Speckled mousebirds, Redwinged and glossy
starlings, louries and bulbuls may be attracted by a fruiting tree.
Van Wyk & Van Wyk (1997) note that it is the larval food for
the butterflies Acraea oncaea and A. petraea.
Uses and cultural aspects
Xylotheca kraussiana is available in the nursery trade, but
one may have to search for a plant as there do not seem to be enough
to keep up with demand.
Growing Xylotheca kraussiana
kraussiana is a handy component in an herbaceous shrubbery,
where it can be pruned back if necessary. It can also form a delightful
part of a bush clump in a garden, e.g. with Strelitzia
nicolai (wild banana), Burchellia bubalina (wild
pomegranate) and Peddiea africana (poison olive). It is best
grown in areas that are frost-free, or it can be tried in a very
protected area of the garden in colder areas. It usually requires
conditions with filtered light, but sometimes more sun is needed.
It can be grown as a container plant and as Joffe (2001) notes 'It
makes an excellent container plant for a sheltered patio, where
the lovely flowers can be appreciated close at hand'.
It is propagated from seed. The aril should be removed from the
seed, the seed then sterilized and planted in a seedling compost
mix - a mixture of river sand and compost. Germination is usually
good, but the seedlings are prone to root shrivel. As soon as the
seedlings develop their first proper leaves, then they should be
transplanted taking great care not to damage the tap root. An alternative
is to plant two or three seeds into a seedling bag, and then remove
the less vigourous seedlings at a later stage. Once the plant has
become established in the bag, it can then be planted out. An excellent
way to give this plant a good start in life is to plant it in a
hole that has been used for your biodegradable kitchen waste.
References and further reading
- Botha, C. & Botha, J. 1995. Bring Nature back to your
garden. Natal region of the Wildlife and Environment Society,
- Bredenkamp, C.L. 2003. Xylotheca. In G.Germishuizen & N.L.
Meyer, Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia
14: 561. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Bredenkamp, C.L. 2002. Flacourtiaceae. In O.A. Leistner, Seed
plants of southern Africa: families and genera. Strelitzia
- Coates Palgrave, M. 2002. Keith Coates Palgrave Trees of
southern Africa, edn 3. Struik, Cape Town.
- Germishuizen, G., Meyer, N.L., Steenkamp, Y. & Keith, M. (eds) 2006. A Checklist of South African plants. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 41. SABONET, Pretoria.
- Gunn, M. & Codd, L.E. 1981. Botanical exploration of
southern Africa. Balkema, Cape Town.
- Joffe, P. 2001. Creative gardening with indigenous plants.
A South African guide. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
- Killick. D.J.B. 1976. Flacourtiaceae. Flora of southern Africa
22: 58-60. Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria.
- Killick, D.J.B. 1969. Xylotheca kraussiana var. glabrifolia.
The Flowering Plants of Africa 39: t.1535. Botanical Research
- Palmer, E. & Pitman, N. 1972. Trees of southern Africa,
vol. 3. Balkema, Cape Town.
- Pooley, E. 1993. Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei.
Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.
- Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. 1997. Field guide to trees
of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town.
- Wild, H. 1960. Flora zambesiaca 1: 272-275. Crown Agents
for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London.
Kwa-Zulu Natal Herbarium