Trees of the Lowveld
The Lowveld is a beautiful place and is known world wide for its unique beauty and stunning landscape. Many come from far and wide to travel the various landscapes and experiencing the beautiful plantlife and amazing animals. Trees make up a majority of the landscape of the lowveld and yet not many people pay much attention to the beauty and uniqueness trees provide. There are a large variety of trees that call the lowveld home but the following trees are truly unique and iconic and often stand out among the rest of the more mundane and regular looking trees of the Lowveld.
Baobab
The Baobab is one of the thickest trees in South Africa and towers over the landscape. The Baobab is definitely one of, if not the most, iconic trees in South Africa. The tall trunk and the branching crown of the tree has been the cause of many legends and stories. One of the most popular legends is a story of a giant child born of the African gods who pulled a Baobab from the ground and put it back but upside down, giving the tree its root like branches. These trees do not grow prominently throughout the Lowveld but in the few places they do grow, they tower over their surroundings. There have been a few instances where the Baobab has been used as a building because of its large size and hollow interior.
Red Bushwillow
The Red bushwillow is a very popular tree among browsing animals. These trees are more prominent in the Kruger Park and are well scattered throughout the lowveld. These beautiful trees get their names from the red colour the leaves turn during winter. These trees are also very tough and drought resistant and is often the main source of nutrients for many animals during a drought. The leaves of the Red bushwillow are also mildly poisonous and can cause prolonged hiccupping. These trees grow small fruits in bunches that ripen late in the summer months.
Knob Thorn
The Knob Thorn is the 3rd most common tree that can be found in the Kruger Park and the Lowveld, with the others being the Mopani and the Acacia. This medium sized tree reaches 16m in height and is easily recognized by its bright yellow flowers during the summer months. The tree gets its name from the knob shaped thorns that litter its trunk and branches, with the thorns being more prominent on younger trees. During the winter months, the knobs turn almost black in colour.
Kiaat
The Kiaat is a stunningly beautiful trees that gives some of the most beautiful wood for sculptures and furniture. Kiaats grow predominantly in the region of Pretoriuskop in the Kruger National Park. Kiaat wood is very popular with elephants and elephants will often be seen walking around or in the area of Kiaat trees. These trees have a beautiful roundish fruit with iconic yellow flowers. The Kiaat is a very popular tree in the Kruger National Park.
