Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Anacardiaceae

Genus:

Sclerocarya

Species:

Sclerocarya caffra

USDA Symbol:

SCCA16

Growth Characteristics

Height:

1800 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

sep,oct,nov,dec

Bloom Colors:

red, purple

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, mammals, elephants

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock after fire; thick bark provides some fire resistance in mature trees.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers deep soils in savanna regions

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat requires scarification; removing outer fruit pulp and nicking or soaking seeds improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI