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 one great thing about using indigenous plants for landscaping is that you know before they have even been planted that they should thrive. South Africa has some rare and beautiful indigenous plants ranging from ground covers, small, medium and large shrubs and a selection of many trees, and you’ll find many species suitable for you’re particular region stocked at your local nurseries, and should also find a wide variety of bulbs, grasses and succulents that are suitable for landscaping.

Many landscapers such as ourselves can design and create indigenous garden landscaping to suit your environment and your particular requirements, and will supply the plants, materials and labour. Many regions of the country suffer from harsh weather conditions for much of the year, and this is one of the reasons why indigenous landscaping can be so successful where a garden using non-native plants either fails or needs a lot of upkeep. Whether you’re thinking of using local or foreign plants in your new garden, we will be able to give you excellent advice on how to use them in a low-maintenance, water-wise garden for you that will survive our harsh weather. There are always shortcuts that can be used depending on the regional conditions applicable in your particular case. If you like colour we can use annuals – this means they will return year after year in the same splendid beauty and at the same time give you a time saving way of having the garden in bloom throughout the season.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner.  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.