White Kirkia or Seringa
Witsering
Kirkia acuminata
Bobbejaankrans Viewpoint
The Bobbejaankrans Viewpoint is on the dust road more or less following the curves of the Timbavati River about 19km from Orpen Gate, on the alternative route to Satara Rest Camp.
Relax while sitting on a sturdy bench in the shade of a beautiful White Kirkia (Seringa) tree as you enjoy the river scene below.
Kirkia acuminata
White Kirkias are the models of the Bushveld with tall straight trunks and elegant proportions, with a fine, round, leafy crown.
The genus Kirkia is named in honour of Sir John Kirk, a famous explorer and naturalist. The specific epithet acuminata probably comes from the narrowly tapering apex to a long point (acuminate).
Sir John Kirk – Naturalist
It grows from 6 to 18 m high with a trunk diameter of 0.8 m.
Kirkia Autumn Leaves
The leaves are sticky when young, colouring splendidly to gold and red in autumn. The leaf is compound with 6-10 leaflets and one terminal one. The narrowly ovate leaflets are 20-80 x 10-25 mm, with or without hairs. The apex is narrowly tapering to a long point. Kirkia acuminata flowers from October to December with small greenish cream flowers.
White Kirkia Leaves
The fruits are thinly woody capsules of about 10-20 x 6-10 mm that are 4-angled, and split into four seed pods when mature. Each seed pod contains a seed. The wood is yellowish brown, light and soft.
White Kirkia Stem
White Kirkia (Seringa) trees adorn the rocky ridges and hills in Kruger, yet are also found in the open dry Bushveld. The White Kirkia (Seringa) is regarded as a sacred tree in some places in Zimbabwe.
White Kirkia Seeds
The Zimbabwean women also use the bark of the tree for weaving. In Gauteng, it is planted around enclosures for livestock (kraals).
Gleaned from the pen of Marissa Greeff in her book A Site-by-Site Guide to Trees in the KRUGER NATIONAL PARK.
This book is avaiable for purchase from us for R260.00 excluding postage.
The White Kirkia (Seringa) Tree is available for purchase from the Kruger Park Indigenous Tree Nursery near Skukuza.
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