Colophospermum mopane (100 seeds)

Colophospermum mopane. The mopane can be a shrub or a tall tree up to 30 m in the northern part of its range, depending on soil conditions and water availability. It has a tall, narrow crown. The compound leaves are divided in two so that the leaflets resemble butterfly wings or a camel’s foot. There is a tiny point at the join of the two leaflets which is the remnant of a third, terminal leaflet. Crushed leaves have a turpentine odor. It is a deciduous (sometimes semi-deciduous) tree with lovely autumn and spring colors. Sprays of small, green flowers appear in December and January. Sowing:  Seeds can be removed from ripe pods or sown in the pod. Removing the seeds from the pods does speed up germination but needs to be done carefully. They should be sown in flat seedling trays in river sand. Place the seeds on the sand surface. Keep the trays moist so that the seeds can absorb water to germinate. Once the seeds have germinated they will be susceptible to infection from damping-off fungi, therefore the amount of water should be reduced. It also helps to use clean new river sand, sterilized if possible. The seedlings are initially slow growing but the growth rate speeds up once a height of about 200 mm is reached. Transplanting will need to be done with care, and you should try to avoid damaging the roots. Use loamy soil with some sand and compost added, in black nursery bags, and water well after the transplanting operation. Locality: Pietersburg. Harvest: August 2023