Well known for its yellowish hard wood with brown markings, Breonadia salicina is an evergreen tree with a dense narrow crown. In South Africa, it is widely distributed in the northeast, from KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga and Limpopo near the banks or in the waters of permanent streams and rivers. This tree can attain a mature height of 40m under favourable growing conditions.

The four whorled leaves have a yellow venation. The bark is smooth and green on younger stems becoming grey-brown and rough on older stems. Flowering takes place from December to March and the flowers appear in round heads of up to 40 mm in diameter and on long stalks. These are followed by small 2-lobed capsules densely packed into rounded heads with rough bristly appearance.

The Matumi makes a beautiful street tree with its narrow crown, evergreen glossy leaves and a moderate to fast growth rate. A single or group of these trees planted on the lawn make stunning specimen trees. The root system is aggressive hence this tree should be planted away from buildings, paved areas, and swimming pools. This tree is also ideal for Bonsai.

Different parts of Breonadia salicina are commonly used by traditional healers in South Africa and other African countries for the treatment of many infectious diseases such as arthritis, pneumonia, tachycardia, vomiting, ulcers, stomach pains, gastrointestinal illness, headaches, inflamed wounds, and bacterial and fungal infections.

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Have a lovely gardening week!