Cyphostemma bainesii Seeds - African Tree Grape - Indigenous Succulent Caudiciform

Cyphostemma is genus of flowering plants belonging to the Vitaceae family. They are caudiciform succulent plants and used to belong to the genus Cissus. The genus name comes from the Greek words kyphos, which means hump, and stemma, meaning garland. Within the Vitaceae family, Cyphostemma is most closely related to Cayratia and Tetrastigma. It consists of several species that are native to Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Some of the plants within this genus are small shrubs while others are considered small trees. They generally have very thick trunks. Larger species can tolerate frost, but small and developing plants should be kept in temperatures above 4°C. They make excellent potted plants for protected patios and in frost free areas are amazing rockery plants.

       
Cyphostemma bainesii commonly known as African Tree Grape, Gouty Vine or Butterwood Tree is a South African indigenous deciduous succulent shrub or small tree that grows up to 1.5 meters tall. It has a thick or bottle shaped trunk (caudex) up to 40 cm wide. It is very similar to Cyphostemma juttae, but shorter and fatter. The bark is papery and smooth, very attractive, clear yellowish-brown to pastel and peeling in rings to reveal grey-green. The leaves are huge, bright yellowish-green to glaucous green often with red undulated margins covered with fairly dense fuzz. The flowers are in a lose inflorescence on mature plants and are followed by ornamental, orange grapes (don't eat them they are high in tannic acid and not sweet) they may be slightly toxic. It is naturally found in Central western Namibia and South Africa where it grows on dry rocky outcrops in a well-drained soil with some water usually at the base of boulders where it receives a bit of shade from the burning sun.