Cape Chestnut
Calodendrum capense
Also known as
Wild Chestnut, Kaapse Kastaiing (Afr.), Muvhaha, Molalakgwedi, MookêLêLa
Full Sun
Moderate care
Frequent watering
Tender
8a-11b
USDA zone
-12°C
Minimum temperature
Expected size
Height | Spread | |
|---|---|---|
6m | Max | 18m |
3m | Min | 5m |
Flowering
-
spring
-
summer
-
autumn
-
winter
This plant has a strong fragrance
More images of Cape Chestnut
Cape Chestnut Overview
A medium-sized tree with beautiful fragrant soft pink flowers in Summer. The grey stem is slow-growing, but the wood is light and useful for furniture and will not twist and bend when dried. The trees are often spotted when in flower in indigenous forests spaced widely - and visible from the N2 driving past Wilderness to Knysna. A tree that should be considered planting more widely in our gardens! ZA Distribution: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape.
Common problems with Cape Chestnut
Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)
How to harvest Cape Chestnut
Wood is lightly colored and dries straight - used in furniture.
How to propagate Cape Chestnut
Seed
Sow seeds in sandy soil mix in a nursery and keep moist.
Cuttings
Semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Special features of Cape Chestnut
Attracts useful insects
Attracts birds
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
Attractive flowers
Flowers are soft pink-purple with dark spots.
Other uses of Cape Chestnut
Grown for their flowers that are produced mainly in spring-summer.
