Cussonia Spicata 20lt
Common Name: Cabbage Tree

Full Sun
Evergreen
Indigenous
Wind Tolerant

Cussonia spicata, commonly known as the cabbage tree, is a species of tree native to parts of southern and eastern Africa, including South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and eastern tropical Africa.

🌳 General Description

Family: Araliaceae
Common Names: Cabbage tree, Spiked Cabbage Tree
Height: Typically grows 5–15 meters tall
Growth Form: Often has a single, thick trunk with a sparse, rounded crown

🍃 Leaves

Type: Large, leathery, palmately compound (resembling fingers on a hand)
Arrangement: Clusters at the ends of thick branches
Colour: Blue-green to grey-green
Appearance: The leaf shape and arrangement give the tree a cabbage-like look

🌸 Flowers and Fruit

Flowers: Small, greenish-yellow, borne in dense, spiky heads on tall, branched stalks
Blooming Season: Late summer to autumn
Fruit: Small, roundish drupe that turns purple when ripe

🐘 Ecological Role

Wildlife: Leaves and bark are browsed by elephants and other herbivores
Birds and Insects: Attracted to flowers for nectar and fruit for food