60-year-old cycad finds forever home in Lonehill Koppies
What began as a cherished family plant has blossomed into a heartfelt gift for the Lonehill community, a symbol of love, history, and belonging that will endure for generations.
Some gifts are more than just objects, they are pieces of a person’s life, carrying years of memories, care, and love.
At the entrance to Lonehill Park, a magnificent cycad now stands tall, its rich green leaves catching the sunlight.
Read more: Mandela Day tree planting initiative ends in tension over illegal tree felling
For most passers-by, it’s a beautiful addition to the park, but for Peter de Nóbrega, the man who donated it, this plant has been a lifelong companion.
Its story began in the late 1960s, when De Nóbrega’s father spotted a baby cycad while on holiday in Barberton. “My late father bought the baby cycad whilst on holiday in the Barberton area in the late 60s, with a license, since it is a protected plant, for the sum of R30. Quite a lot in those days.”
For decades, his father nurtured it in Springs. When he passed away in 1993, De Nóbrega inherited the plant. “I brought it to Johannesburg where it flourished in the same green vase.”
In 2000, when De Nóbrega moved to Lonehill, the cycad came too, sprouting new crown every two years.
After more than two decades in his garden, De Nóbrega decided it was time for his beloved plant to become part of the wider community. “I decided to donate it to the Lonehill Residents Association (LRA), because I know Nadeem Abrahams and the gardening team will look after it well. The setting near the koppie is ideal. I’m sure dad would approve.”
The location holds special meaning for De Nóbrega. The Lonehill Koppie, he points out, was once immortalised on the cover of the 1960s musical Ipi ’n Tombi by Bertha Egnos.
Now, his father’s cycad sits nearby, continuing its journey as part of the area’s heritage.
Cycads can live for hundreds of years, De Nóbrega noted: “What I hope the community will appreciate is that this plant commands respect. My advice is: Don’t touch it, the thorns are vicious.”
For De Nóbrega, it’s more than a plant, it’s a thank you gift to a neighbourhood he has called home for many happy years.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
