Shrub large; Tree small
shade; semi-shade; sun
orange spring summer
shade; semi-shade; dry shade; sun; screen; sandy soils; wildlife; shrubbery; wildlife insects birds butterflies bees
fynbos; woodland forest; coastal eastern cape; coastal kzn; grassland
subtropical east coast; western cape; thicket; highveld; bushveld savanna
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SA tree number 688 The Wild Pomegranate is a beautiful, versatile shrub that brings rich colour to any garden. The flowers are tubular in shape and grow in clusters at the tips of the branches. They are a brilliant orange to red in colour, giving a bright splash of colour that entices one to take a closer look. Burchellia bubaline begins to flower at around two years old, and the flowering season begins in September, continuing for a few months. The flowers are full of nectar and are coveted by the nectar eaters, like the beautiful sunbirds. The seed-eating birds then have their turn with the seeds that follow. New leaves are russet in colour, and soft quite waxy looking. They become large, darker green, and leathery with age. They are the perfect foil to show off the brilliant orange/red flowers. It is a very neat shrub, which doesn’t need much pruning and is slow growing, so is very easy to control if planted in smaller spaces than its actual size. This shrub can get as big as 3 x 3, but is takes well to pruning. It can be pruned to take the shape of a small tree, although it is a slow grower and will take ages to reach tree height. Otherwise, it does well as a screening shrub, as it branches low down and is a great choice for a bird-friendly thicket. It naturally occurs in evergreen forests as well as in rocky grassland, so it is happy in both sun and shade. Plant the young shrub in good soil with lots of compost, and water it well. It enjoys areas with high rainfall and humid conditions but will need protection in frosty areas.