South Africa Travels Blog

A glance at some of the Succulents of the Northern Cape, South Africa.
The desert and semi-desert conditions of the Northern Cape have produced high numbers and varieties of succulents. They have adapted to extreme aridity in a number of ingenious ways. Some have developed roots which penetrate great depths to reach water, but most have a superficial root system which enables them to absorb dew. Many have fleshy branches with insignificant leaves which inhabit transpiration.

The Euphorbias are relatively easy to recognise, even for the layman. These are the spiny, spiky ornaments of the veld – cousins of the American cacti. Both cacti and Euphorbia have thick, tough, spiny stems to protect themselves against animals – and people. But unlike the cactus which is usually edible, the Euphorbia stem, when pricked, produces a whit, milky latex – often poisonous.
Bushman used latex from Euphorbia Virosa an ingredient in their arrow poisons – hence the common name, ‘Boesmansgif’ – Bushman’s poison.

Many people who know almost nothing about succulents have heard of Lithops (Stone plants). Which is strange when one considers that members of this species are self-effacing to a degree, effectively camouflaging themselves to blend with their surroundings. This phenomenon is known as mimicry – the ability to become invisible. Many are almost indistinguishable from pebbles on the sand.

The ‘Halfmans’ (half human) Pachypodium namaquanum peculiar to Namaqualand in the Northern Cape, has a weird extra-terrestrial appearance. They are often arranged in pairs or family groups with the small bent heads of the young peering around the bodies of the parents. They invariably face north.

There are over 140 species of aloe in South Africa. The Quiver Tree, Aloe dichotoma, sometimes called the tree aloe, is a conspicuous feature of Namaqualand and the North Western Cape, as it grows to a height of 12 m and is often the only tree to be seen for miles, mainly on the slopes and crests of hills. The tree stores water in its trunk and resists drought for years. It branches provide popular nesting places for the Social Weaver Bird.

Kakamas is a small town located on the R64 just forty km west of Keimoes in South Africa’s Northern Cape.
The name means ‘poor pasture’ in the Hottentot language, actually a flagrant misnomer, as the town occupies a fertile valley on the Lower Orange River, being graced with vineyards, cotton and lucerne fields.

Waterwheels are still in use along the canals.

Rose quartz, amethyst, tourmaline and feldspar are found in the vicinity.

Just outside Kakamas near a grove of date palms is a monument honouring German soldiers killed in a clash with South African troops in 1915.

A remarkable peach once cultivated here transformed the South African canned fruit industry, more than doubled its total output within two years. Though no longer commercially grown in this area, the Kakamas peach tree grows wild.