Reviving Paradise: Scabiosa africana is an awesome indigenous gem
There are still a few Green Net 2025 Biodiversity calendars and to celebrate April, they have been marked down to only R50 each.
For the past 20 years, I’ve celebrated my April birthday with a Purple Party; however, this year, instead of a party, I’m celebrating this gorgeous indigenous gem, scabiosa africana, a wonderful pollinator attractor and cut flower.
Cut the old woody stalks back after flowering, and this will encourage new shoots. It is low maintenance and fast-growing, with evergreen leaves and thick stems that can reach one metre – what joy it would bring if we saw fields of these alongside the road and in our gardens. After flowering, the heads turn into tight, bristly balls that fall apart as the seeds ripen. Seeds can be sown in autumn or spring and take about three weeks to germinate. Seedlings thrive in full sun or partial shade, easily self-seed and can also be grown from cuttings.
Not only is scabiosa truly beautiful, its roots and leaves can be used to treat colic and heartburn, and the powdered roots can be used as a fragrant and harmless baby powder. Common names are Cape scabious, pincushion or koringboom. It flowers from August to late March – ask your local nursery for one this weekend or your friends for seeds.
We suggest that scabiosa africana is used as a replacement plant when removing Madagascar periwinkle, which is extremely common in our area and favoured because it grows and spreads so easily – the actual definition of invasive! This is a listed NEMBA Category 1b species that invades riverbanks, waste places and gardens and is a particular problem in KZN, Limpopo and Gauteng. Sometimes used as an ornamental garden plant, it competes with indigenous species and is poisonous.
There are still a few Green Net 2025 Biodiversity calendars available at the venues below, and to celebrate April, they have been marked down to only R50 each – please grab one if you don’t already have one or gift a friend, and help bring back our biodiversity.
Pennington Conservancy, Pumula Superette, Folly Fields – Umzumbe, Leka’s & Locals & South Coast Garden Center – Southport, Pickled Chicken Coop – Tweni, The Good Health shop – St Mike’s, Froggy Pond – Uvongo, The Bloom Pot & Hemp Shop- Sebenza Center, Margate, Southbroom Conservancy, Irie Market – Marina Beach, Secret Sithela & Munster Motor Museum, The Farm Stall – Port Edward and Leopard Rock – Oribi.
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