YELLOWWOOD TREE
Afrocarpus falcatus – Outeniqua yellowwood tree
Previously named Podocarpus falcatus, its name was recently changed to Afrocarpus falcatus because it is considered a true African Yellowwood tree. It is native to the Afromontaine forests of South Africa, ranging from Swellendam District (Western Cape) to Limpopo Province, and into southern Mozambique.
Due to over-exploitation in the past all species of Podocarpus are now protected in South Africa. Yellowwood trees were so sought after as timber trees that this once abundant resource soon became extinct in some areas. As a result, yellowwood furniture today commands high prices because of its rarity. The Afrocarpus falcatus usually reaches heights of 10 - 25 m, but can sometimes attain heights of up to 60 m and live for hundreds of years. Its wood is used extensively for furniture, roof beams, floorboards, door and window frames as well as boat building. Some of South Africa's famous antiques are made of this yellowwood tree. | |
"For wildlife too this is a preferred tree," says Richard Arm, Vergelegen's horticulturist. "Its ripe fruits are a treat for the bats, Cape parrots, the louries and pigeons. And the large, dense crown often serves as a roosting and nesting site for a great variety of birds."
Vergelegen's very own Afrocarpus falcatus has become a celebrity in its own right with media giants such as SABC coming to interview it for its gardening programmes!
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