African Tree Essences

The Pock Ironwood Chionanthus foveolata: full information page

Family: OLEACEAE

An evergreen, the pock ironwood can range in size from five to thirty meters in height depending on its habitat. It occurs along the coast of South Africa on hillsides, wooded ravines, lowland forests and dune scrub. Sprays of small, sweetly scented white flowers appear from late winter to spring. The flowers are followed by fleshy, ovoid, purple-black fruit that germinate readily. The fruits are enjoyed by numerous bird species. A member of the olive family, this is a tough, wind-resistant tree – perfect for coastal gardens and hedging.

At Platbos this is one of the most hardy of all the forest trees. Its seedlings often carpet the dry forest floor for years, patiently waiting for a gap in the canopy and a good winter rain to fuel their upward growth. The timber of the trees is pale brown, strong and heavy. The outer bark is a soft silvery-grey.

The name pock ironwood comes from the little pock marks that dot the central veins of the leaves. Inside these little hollows live minute microbes that live symbiotically on the leaf surface, cleaning them of debris and moulds. If these hollows are sealed with Vaseline, the leaves would soon become dirty and diseased.