The tree fuchsia (halleria lucida) has been appointed as one of the two rare trees of the year for 2009, by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs.

This beautiful tree, with its lush, wide-spreading canopy has shiny, bright green leaves and is an indigenous evergreen tree.  Birds love to gather in this tree, so it will be ideal to plant in your garden, if you want to attract birds.  Insects also enjoy feasting on the flowers, which are very rich in nectar. 

It has elegantly drooping branches and normally has more than one stem.  Bright orange, red or yellow tube-shaped flowers – which grow on the stems and in clusters of leaves – bloom in summer and from early spring this decorative tree carries round black berries, which are clustered together.  The bark of the tree fuschia is a dull grey to brown in colour and has vertical grooves.

These trees occur naturally in coastal areas, near water and on stony mountains or hills.  The tree fuchsia can grow between 12 and 20 meters high in ideal conditions, and up to 5 meters in less favourable conditions, such as in exposed areas.  They require a lot of water.

Historically, the wood was used for tools, spear shafts and for the construction of wagon poles, as the wood is strong and hard.  Traditional medicinal uses included treatment of ear aches, by infusing the dried leaves in water. 

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

The use of hedges in your garden has numerous advantages.  They can be used to create privacy in your garden; as dividers to create different areas in your garden; to muffle noise and act as a windbreak; to create mazes; to attract birds and butterflies to your garden; to hide ugly walls; to improve your security around your home and garden; and to act as a green background for other plants in your garden.  Hedge plants are relatively cheap and low-maintenance.

The maintenance required once you have planted your hedge plants, involves pruning when the plants are still small.  This will encourage the plant to grow dense.  You also need to pinch the tips, while the plants are still actively growing to promote the growth of side shoots.

If you want to plant a hedge for security – along your border walls – you can use a paper flower bougainvillea (bougainvillea glabra), num-num (carissa bispinosa) or natal plum (carissa macrocarpa).

Other plants that can be used as security measures include aloes, cacti, agaves, and any other plant that has thorns.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Ultimately the design and type of plants selected depend on the architectural style of the home and the home owners’ preferences.