Heteropyxis natalensis - Lavender Tree - Indigenous South African Tree - 10 Seeds

The family Heteropyxidaceae, or lavender tree family as it is commonly known, is a small family with only two species in southern Africa. The local genus, Heteropyxis, is characterized by alternate, entire, simple leaves with secretory cavities. These emit a pleasant smell when crushed. The flowers are small and inconspicuous. This is a medium to large deciduous tree that grows to about 10 metres high. It occurs naturally on the coastal and inland regions of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is also found growing in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The lavender tree has drooping foliage. The leaves are narrowly elliptic and are arranged spirally. They are shiny dark green above and paler green below, slightly hairy to hairless when mature. When crushed they produce a strong lavender scent. The leaf petiole is slender and pink over the lower half.