20 Karoo boer-bean - Schotia afra Bonsai Tree Seeds - Indigenous

Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae

Common names: Karoo boer-bean, Karoohuilboerboon

This delightful, small, water-wise tree is a must for the home gardener who wants an attractive evergreen tree. The tree is not messy and does not have a destructive root system. It is ideal for attracting nectar-seeking birds during the hot, dry, summers. The trees look spectacu when in full flower next to the drabness of the surrounding summer vegetation.

This tree can be used as a shade and ornamental tree. The seeds are edible either green, or mature. They can be used as a meal if roasted and ground. The bark, if ground and soaked in water, can be used as tannin. Schotia afra can be pruned to shape and can be grown as a bonsai specimen.