Rank Species | Subfamily Aralioideae Scientific name Cussonia spicata | |
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Similar Cussonia, Cussonia paniculata, Coccothrinax argentea, Copernicia baileyana, Celtis africana | ||
Cussonia spicata (known as spiked cabbage tree, lowveld cabbage tree or common cabbage tree) is a tree in the Araliaceae family, which is native to the moister regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is cultivated as a garden plant in areas without extreme degrees of frost. It is one of the favorite foods of wild elephants.
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Description
Larger specimens develop a sturdy trunk and a rounded, spreading canopy, and can reach a height of 15 meters. The attractive leafs grow from the end of thick branches to form rounded heads. The species name spicata means "spike-like", and suggests the arrangement of its flowers.
Range
It occurs naturally from southern and eastern South Africa to the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and northwards into tropical Africa.
Ethnomedical uses
It has been used in traditional African medicine and its medicinal properties are being investigated.
