Cussonia paniculata       3736

This short, thickset, often little-branched tree with a rounded crown is up to 5m high and has a diameter of up to 0,6m. The few branches have prominent leaf scars. The thick, corky trunk is rough, grey-brown and becomes deeply longitudinally fissured. This plant is pachycaul (has a disproportionately thick trunk for its height. The roots are thick and swollen.

These trees are only deciduous in cold areas. The leaves are pale blue to grey-green, up to 60cm long and are concentrated at the ends of branches where they appear mop-like. The younger leaves are a lighter green. The leaves are palmate (compound leaves that are lobed, divided or ribbed in a palm-like or hand-like fashion with leaflets arising from a single point). Each mature leaf has between 7 and 13 leaflets, which are glabrous (hairless) with a thick protective waxy covering. The leathery leaflets are up to 30 x 6cm. The margin may be wavy and leaflets are either entire (with a continuous margin, not in any way indented), or shallowly or deeply lobed but these constrictions do not cut to the midrib. The attenuate (showing a long gradual taper) apex tapers to a sharp tip and the base tapers. The long petiole (leaf stalk) is up to 50cm in length. It is slender with a wide base. The petiolules are up to 3cm long. The stipules (basal appendages of the petiole) are present.

The small (about 6mm in diameter), greenish yellow flowers are located in dense cylindrical raceme-like spikes. Each spike of flowers is up to 13cm long. The spikes are themselves gathered in groups of round panicles. The calyx has 5 toothed or almost entire sepals. There are 5 petals present in each flower. In the bud, their edges meet but do not overlap. The 5 stamens each have anthers with 2 thecae. These anthers are shorter than their filaments. There is a single pistil (a unit of the Gynoecium, the female element of the flower). It is composed of a 2-locular, inferior Ovary that has 2 Styles and Stigmas.

The fleshy fruit is globose and 2 carpels (each carpel is one of the foliar units of a compound pistil or ovary) are present. The fruit is up to 6mm in diameter and turns from green to purple or maroon when mature. The fruit are closely crowded along the spikes. Ripe seeds are black and, in cross section, are planoconvex (four sides: flat base, curved opposite side and 2 short sides).

The soft, whitish wood was once used for making brake pads for wagons. Leaves are good fodder for domestic herbivores, especially goats.

References
- Cussonia paniculata: the mountain cabbage tree, Walker, Colin C and Levers, Mike. British Cactus \& Succulent Journal 1988 Vol. 6(4) pag. 98-100. JStor
- The Trees of Southern Africa. Cussonia paniculata

- Notes on the genus Cussonia in South Africa, Strey, RG. Bothalia 1973 Vol. 11(1/2) pag. 191-201. Address

Biological type: tree
Frost resistance: 19ºF
Leaf color: glaucous
Flower color: yellow
IUCN Red List of threatened species status: Least Concern

Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 19,6ft x 13,1ft
Sun exposure: part sun (Sun hours: >3h <6h
Foliage: semi-evergreen
Growth: slow
Flowering time from July until November

Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 40%Compost+20%Peet+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 5.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Succulents; tray, 1L container, 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container
Units in the garden: 1x

Ecology in its country of origin
Rainfall: 500-1000mm
Gravelly soil: much
Humus soil: much

SPRING Sow the seeds at 5mm depth in the 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand between 59-68°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight.
The average seed weight is 48,0 per gram (0,02085g).

Germination references
- Seed dynamics and seedling survival in mainland thicket of the Eastern Cape, Weatherall-Thomas, Clayton Richard. 2009. Address