- Botanical Name
- Halleria lucida
Halleria lucida
Details
Halleria lucida, also known as tree fuchsia, umBinza or notsung, is a small, attractive, evergreen tree indigenous to Southern Africa, and it is increasingly grown as an ornamental tree in African gardens. It has lush, glossy, bright-green foliage on arching and drooping branches, is often multi-stemmed, and can reach over 15 metres. It is unusual in producing its flowers and fruit from the trunk, a habit called cauliflory. The orange or purple flowers are rich in nectar, and the small, fleshy fruits are edible. The article says the leaves and fruits are an important component of traditional African medicine. It also says the tree has a function in traditional Zulu religion: the ceremonial burning of the leaves is believed to counter witchcraft and summon the protective spirits of dead ancestors. The article carries a notice that it needs more citations.
Correspondences
- Elements
- No elements recorded.
- Celestial Bodies
- No celestial bodies recorded.
- Zodiac Signs
- No zodiac signs recorded.
- Colours
- No colours recorded.
- Deities
- No deities recorded.
Folk Names
- Notsung
- Tree Fuchsia
- umBinza
Categories
- Protection
- Warding
Substitutes
No substitutes recorded.
Forms
Leaf
References
References
Notes
- Watt and G., Medicinal and Poisonous Plants, p. 169, "the Sutos use the plant as a charm against evil".
- Wikipedia, under "Halleria lucida," Uses (Zulu religion): "summon the protective spirits of dead ancestors".
- Wikipedia, under "Halleria lucida."
Bibliography
- Watt, J. M.; Breyer-Brandwijk, M. G. The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern Africa. 1932. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.218558. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
1 - Wikipedia, under "Halleria lucida." Accessed October 29, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Halleria_lucida&oldid=1306388202. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
2 3