Summer Rainfall with Succulents Storing Moisture For Winter

It is recorded that nearly half of the World's succulent species are endemic to Southern Africa. This is good news to assist homeowners, the Body Corporate Committee and Estate Management to introduce a variety of Succulent species which may "Drought Proof" sections of the landscape for the future. The incentive is endorsed by concerns that South Africa's average annual rainfall could fall by 60 mm per annum due to "Climate Change".

Optimum planning and "site specific" selection is important, with most succulent species preferring a sunny aspect from the sea shore and Dunes with Carpobrotus Dimidiatus, Natal Dune Vygie, with magenta flowers, and fleshy, bright green leaves and stems latticing across the sandy soil. On a higher slope the erect Delosperma Lineare with white daisy flowers, loosely branched, spreading in clusters. The Mesembryanthemum or Vygie Family vary in form with fleshy, moisture-storing leaves and trailing habit, to more compact clusters with rewarding daisy flowers in yellow, pinks and glossy magenta shades. Aptenia cordifolia, Aptenia presents a carpet of glossy green leaves, and solitary magenta flowers. Its scrambling habit presents a useful "filler" for retaining walls with a sunny position. When planted optimally with organic compost, the roots spread to secure the soil in the cavity, while the trailing habit covers the cement surface and reduces heat.

The Crassula Family offer another wide selection of succulent herbs often with large fleshy leaves , greenish to brown with tinted edges or spots. Crassula perfoliata, Pointed-leaved Crassula is found from the Eastern Cape to Tropical Africa. Then Crassula sarmentosa with often greenish-yellow leaves displays an attractive terminal cluster of cream flowers, tinged with pink. Crassula multicava, or Fairy Crassula is one of the most popular succulents found on border edges, with rounded grey-green leaves tinted pink, and terminal clusters of tiny cream flowers, tinged red.

The Kalenchoe Family attracts butterflies, with often orange, tubular flowers in clusters. Kalenchoe rotundifolia, Common Kalenchoe is used in traditional medicine. The plant is poisonous to stock.

The Medicinal use of our Succulent species is a growing industry. For example Bulbine abyssinica, Bushy Bulbine, with its tubular green leaves is being grown commercially for the copious juice extracted from the leaves which is a natural sun-block! Then our exciting variety of Aloe species which abound from the Coastal Dunes to the inland escarpments have been known for generations for their medicinal use, such as Aloe maculata, Common Soap Aloe, or Aloe cooperi, Cooper's Aloe where the flowers and leaves may be cooked and eaten. The amazing Tree Aloe is the tallest Aloe species in Africa with spectacular branching form and orange flowers in spikes. Please plant me facing the rising sun in the East!

The Early Voortrekkers discovered the leaves of Portulacaria afra, Spekboom, were edible in salads. This small sturdy tree grows up to 5M in the Eastern Cape where it is dominant. Large areas recently planted with Spekboom act as a pollution reducing agent. There is no doubt that the Succulent species will not only add interest, and reduce water usage in the garden but will expand for commercial cultivation and new markets to the benefit of mankind.