C - 2025 CORDIA CAFFRA (SEPTEE TREE)

Good afternoon

May I introduce you to the beautiful Cordia Caffra (Septee tree) which is indigenous to South Africa. 

Wood, J.M., Evans, M.S., Natal plants, vol. 6: t. 508 (1909-1912)

I grew up in Durban North, South Africa, during a time when the area in which we lived was little more than a suburb surrounded by open fields and sugar cane plantations. I’m surprised that we all survived given the propensity of children to taste anything and everything. Childhood resilience doesn’t quite explain it.

An entanglement worthy of a child's exploration

Hedgerows of the most amazing berries were our impromptu snacks to and from school and anything which appeared edible was tasted and tested. I remember clambering through the twists of branches of a large Cordia Caffra tree to get to the delicious-looking berries. What a disappointment that turned out to be but, although the fruits weren’t particularly nice, we all would still pick handfuls to eat if nothing else was available. My tastebuds still salivate (and not in a good way) when I think of it. It reminds me of my grandchildren eating lemons, pulling a face and going back for more. A fine example of deception.

Honestly, don’t those berries look mouth-wateringly delicious? 

The attractive, drooping, glossy leaves have long petioles and wave in the slightest breeze, adding movement to the already magical canopy.

Tantalising fruit nestling amongst glossy waves of green

The creamy-white, sweetly scented flowers which grace the tree in September and October attract all manner of insects. The masses of orange fruits which are pleasingly decorative, attract birds and are edible but not very palatable.

An abundance of white, nectar-filled blossoms

GARDENING

For gardeners who plant and enjoy indigenous plants, the rewarding Septee tree grows quickly and responds well to pruning making this an ideal choice for creating privacy along property boundaries as well as areas where space is restricted.

Cordia caffra really is a stunning tree and it should be planted far more extensively in cities and towns throughout the country. The Septee tree shows off it lovely foliage throughout the warmer months. The dramatic accent to the landscape is enhanced by the beautiful, dense canopy, decorative bark, masses of sweetly fragranced flowers and eye catching orange fruit.

The Cordia Caffra tree is a very handsome and interesting tree that has something to offer the gardener in every season – decorative fruits, sweetly fragranced, dainty flowers, lovely lustrous foliage and eye-catching, beautiful bark textures in the warmer months followed by a few months where it is bare but still just as eye-catching when the bare branches, with their striking, intriguing patterns and colourations add a dramatic feel to the landscape.

Lone Cordia Caffra showing off its foliage

It is a lovely accent or focal specimen, that, although not a classic horticultural beauty, is definitely worth growing for its artistic branching pattern and decorative bark and fruits. It is a highly decorative, adaptable tree that can be used in a variety of landscape applications.

It tolerates shady conditions and does not get too big, making it ideal for smaller gardens and areas with limited space.

When planted in groves or small groups, Cordia Caffra adds a stunning woodland atmosphere to the garden

Cordia Caffra does not have an overly aggressive root system, so can be planted fairly close to permanent structures, paving and pools.

It is a relatively fast-growing tree that can easily be trimmed down and shaped for a more shrubby effect which works well as background foliage or as a sturdy hedge or privacy screen.

It is perfect for attracting birds.

Since it is deciduous, in winter (which is never really that cold in coastal Kwazulu Natal) it boasts interesting architectural-like patterns which are created by the bare branches.

The fragrant flowers entice bees and other insects and so keep the natural ecosystem thriving.

Botanical Name	Cordia caffra
Common Name	Septee tree
Genus	Boraginaceae
RSA National Tree No’	652

TREE SPECIFICATIONS
Height	6 – 7m
Spread	4 - 5 m
Deciduous/Evergreen
Growth Habit	The lovely Cordia caffra )Septee Tree) occurs naturally in forest, coastal forest and riverine bush
Bark	The attractive, smooth bark is creamy brown with pinkish mottling. Areas where the bark flakes off are pale grey to white underneath
Foliage	The thin, drooping, alternate leaves are glossy dark green above and paler green below. They are ovate to narrowly ovate with a slightly toothed margin
Flowers	From September to November, the pretty, sweetly fragranced, creamy white, bell shaped flowers appear in terminal clusters
Fruit	The abundant, striking fruit consists of a deep orange drupe with a large, cup like calyx
Seed	Seed is contained in a small capsule and has a pleated cotyledon
GROWING REQUIREMENTS
Growing regions	The Septee tree occurs along the coastal forests of the Transkei and Kwa Zulu Natal up to southern Mozambique and north eastern Limpopo
Growing conditions	Cordia caffra prefers a semi shaded position but will also do well in full sun. Plant in a large hole to which plenty of compost and organic fertiliser have been added. Protect the stem from frost for the first few winters
Best season	Spring
Hardiness	Cordia caffra will tolerate windy conditions as well as light frost
Propagation	Sow seeds in a good seedling mixture and keep moist. The seed germinates readily.
Growth rate	Fairly fast, trees will reach flowering stage in approximately 7 years

MEDICINAL

Traditional remedies:

Different parts of the plant, including the leaves and bark, have been used traditionally by the local peoples in South Africa to treat sore and inflamed eyes, fever, headaches, sores, and wounds. Some traditional uses suggest potential therapeutic actions like anthelmintic, astringent, diuretic, demulcent, purgative, expectorant, tonic, ulcer, and cough relief.

PRACTICAL USES

The Septee tree is widely used among indigenous people in South Africa for a number of projects, some of which I’ve made note of above. The sapwood of this tree is a light, caramel brown, while the heartwood is pinkish-brown to dark brown.

The heartwood is durable, heavy, hard, fine-grained and polishes well. It has been used to make beautiful furniture as it also does not chip easily when worked.

Dry sticks are used to create a fire by friction.

For those interested in woodworking, the attractive heart wood of Cordia Caffra is easy to work with and polishes up beautifully, making it sought after for the manufacture of fine furniture.

The young wood is used by locals for building huts while its dried sticks are used to start fires the traditional way through sparks caused by friction. 

When I was a Girl Guide, we were taught to make fire this way. I think I can safely state that the Cordia Caffra tree was used because of its ubiquity and relatively easy igniting properties.

WILDLIFE

The fragrant flowers attract a vast amount of insect life, including bees and butterflies.

The insects which are lured by the fragrant flowers entice insect-eating birds to pay the tree a visit. The decorative but not very tasty fruits are readily devoured by birds and sometimes monkeys, less often people, and the leaves are browsed by antelope and certain game species.

Sources:

https://cjmgrowers.co.za/cordia-caffra/
https://tropical.theferns.info/
https://www.randomharvest.co.za/South-African-Indigenous-Plants/