Terminalia sericea
The Silver Cluster-leaf is a medium sized deciduous tree, usually not higher than 9m but occasionally growing up to 23m, that grows on sandy soils in open woodland habitats. Silver Cluster-leafs will colonize open areas, forming dense thickets. Even in mature mixed woodland it can be a dominant tree. The blue-green leaves from which it takes its name is densely covered in shiny hairs and are shed in autumn. Flowers are borne from September to January after the new leaves have appeared following the first rains and is probably pollinated by flies (the flowers have a rather unpleasant smell).
In traditional medicine the Silver Cluster-leaf’s roots and leaves are put to good use, being used as an antibiotic, to treat coughs, diarrhoea, stomach ache and to stop bleeding. The wood is used for cooking and fencing. It is an important food source to several kinds of caterpillars, particularly those of the guinea-fowl butterfly, and will be browsed by cattle during drought conditions.
In South Africa Silver-cluster leaf trees grow naturally in the north-east of Kwazulu-Natal, through the Lowveld of Mpumalanga, most of the bushveld regions of Limpopo, northern Gauteng, throughout the North West Province and widely in the Kalahari regions of the Northern Cape. Beyond our borders it is found as far north as Tanzania and the DRC.
DeWetsWild 
En dit het jou wraggies waar ‘n silwer kleurtjie! Dit is ‘n mooi boom en ek’s altyd verstom om te lees watter medisinale waarde daar in ons natuur voorkom … ek glo die groot ‘Pharma’ maatskappye hou nie daarvan nie 🤔.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dis verstommend watter kwale ons voorsate uit die natuur kon behandel!
LikeLiked by 1 person
One of the things I most love to see when travelling north are the silver terminalia trees. On our November trip to Kruger last year, we saw them in flower, which was an added bonus. I enjoyed your photos of this special and distinctive tree.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you very much, Carol. Kruger Park, especially the area around Numbi Gate and Pretoriuskop, has some fine examples of this tree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some years ago there was a report that some big pharma company sent their people into the Brazilian jungle looking for medicinal plants. The results: they did not find anything worthwhile…
LikeLiked by 1 person
No surprizes there, I suppose…
LikeLike
It is always good to focus on one of our many indigenous trees now and then, Dries. You have picked a very interesting one this time 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Anne! We went walking in our local nature reserve this morning and again I am ashamed how few tree species I really know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How nice this tree is with functional or medicinal properties too 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely! I think there are still many medicines and cures locked up in indigenous memory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow – that is interesting – thanks for sharing that
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate trees even more now that we live in Arizona where there aren’t that many trees and certainly not many like that, at least in our area.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I must admit that I’m also attracted more to areas with more rather than less trees.
LikeLike
It reminds me a little of sage leaves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a definite resemblance, Lois
LikeLike
I see the sage too – or lamb’s ears ?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Is dit wat dit genoem word-Vaalboom. Al gewonder watter bome dit was wat so met wit blommetjies oortrek is in lente.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Vir my een van die Bosveld se mooistes!
LikeLike
Beslis ‘n boom om raak te sien as hul blom. Die moetie/medisyne makery is natuurlik ook vir my baie interessant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wie weet hoeveel waardevolle medisyne nie nog in ons natuurskatte opgesluit is nie!
LikeLike
‘n Vriend van my het spesiale ondersoeke gedoen om mutie versamelaars(eintlik plant smokkelaars) vas te trek. Hy het gereeld sekere plekke nagegaan waar die beskermde plante gegroei het. Baie interessante en baie geslote man. Hy was by spesiale polisie eenheid. Dis gevaarlike werk met die smokkelaars saam. Dis hulle wat die gewone arm mense gebruik om dit te oes.
LikeLiked by 1 person