Celastraceae
Gymnosporia buchananii
S
Not currently in the nursery
We can propagate most native species on request — get in touch to discuss timeline and quantity.
About
This species is a spiny shrub or small tree, reaching 2.1–8 metres in height, sometimes growing in a climbing fashion. It features thick, leathery, pale to mid-green leaves that are elliptic to ovate with shallowly toothed margins. Small, white to cream flowers appear in axillary clusters, developing into pale pink to bright red, three-lobed capsules that contain red seeds with a fleshy, pale yellow aril.
Where it works in Kilifi
Suitable for Kilifi-coast gardens, this species thrives in forest margins, thickets, and can be used as a dense understory or fringing shrub. Its spiky nature makes it ideal for mixed plantings, screens, or security hedges in areas with well-drained soil, mimicking its natural habitat in coastal forests and forest-grassland ecotones.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: jstor.org, nih.gov, worldbotanical.com, malawiflora.com. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.