Celebrate National Arbor Month
Arbor Month is is annually commemorated in September in South Africa. The celebration is aimed at raising awareness and sensitising South Africans about the need to conserve, protect and plant trees for environmental and human related benefits.
Forests & Health
This year, Arbor Month is being celebrated under the theme: Forests & Health as adopted by the United Nations Collaborative Partnerships on Forests.
RESOURCES for National Arbor Month
Download – National Arbor Month 2023 – Poster
Download – National Arbor Month 2023 – Trees of the Year – 24 Page Booklet
Source indigenous trees – Contact a specialist tree grower from our SALI Select Suppliers to find indigenous trees for your Arbor Month celebrations.
Polokwane Arbor celebrations
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Makhotso Sotyu,
Launched National Arbor Month on Friday, 1 September 2023, in Polokwane, Limpopo.
Planted indigenous trees in Polokwane to celebrate the start of Arbor Month.
Presented the National Arbor City Awards to municipalities who have excelled in contributing to the Ten Million Trees Programme and embraced greening initiatives in their programmes.
Rewarded schools who have initiated and implemented greening projects.
Plant indigenous trees
Celebrate Arbor Month during September by planting an indigenous tree as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
The extended list of South Africa’s 2023 Trees of the Year includes a Common Tree, a Tree for Promotion, and a Tree for Appreciation.
2023 Tree of the Years
Common Tree: FALSE OLIVE (Buddleja saligna)
The Common Tree is a species or genus occurring widely and is easy to grow.
Tree for Promotion: TREE WISTERIA (Bolusanthus speciosus)
The Tree for Promotion is a species or genus that can only be grown certain areas – but is commercially grown for planting.
Tree for Appreciation: SILVER TREE (Leucadendron argenteum)
The Tree for Appreciation is a tree species that is generally more restricted in its distribution range or suitable habitat.
Source your trees from SALI Selected Suppliers – many of whom are specialist tree growers.
False Olive (Buddleja saligna)
Tree Wisteria (Bolusanthus speciosus)
Silver Tree (Leucadendron argenteum)
Landscaping with indigenous trees
Are the 2023 Trees of the Year suitable for landscaping in your area?
Common Tree: FALSE OLIVE (Buddleja saligna)
The false olive is a hardy, evergreen, fast growing, drought resistant tree with silver-grey leaves and beautiful twisted bark that looks almost woven.
The false olive bears profuse panicles of sweetly scented, white flowers from August to January that attract insects and birds. Fabulous for a quick screen in your landscape anywhere across South Africa.
Tree for Promotion: TREE WISTERIA (Bolusanthus speciosus)
This is a fabulous indigenous tree for landscapes across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. The tree wisteria has spectacular panicles of lilac flowers in spring. It can withstand moderate frost but may need protection for the first few years. It can also survive periods of drought.
It is an ideal tree to grace a medium to small garden, as it never grows too big. It can be grown in a container and looks spectacular on any sunny patio. A beautiful street tree with non-invasive root system.
Tree for Appreciation: SILVER TREE (Leucadendron argenteum).
The beautiful giant silver protea or silver tree has light-reflecting, silky, silver leaves. Silver trees famously grow in dense stands on the slopes of Table Mountain – above Kirstenbosch – and are unique to the Cape Peninsula.
Silver trees are really difficult to grow as they are very susceptible to Phytophthora. This fungus enters the roots where they have been broken or damaged. Silver trees are best grown by fynbos specialists but can be enjoyed by all.
Regretfully, silver trees are in danger of going extinct in the wild in the next fifty years.
Source: SANBI
False Olive (Buddleja saligna)
Tree Wisteria (Bolusanthus speciosus)
Silver Tree (Leucadendron argenteum)
Sourcing indigenous trees
Contact a SALI Select Supplier to get indigenous trees for your Arbor Month celebrations.
