Common Name: Mountain Cedar

General Information

Mountain cedar is a usually multi-stemmed, evergreen shrub or small tree growing to about 6 metres tall, though in a few remote areas in the mountains of eastern Zimbabwe much larger specimens are occasionally found[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its high quality timber.
There remain very few sizable trees south of the Zambezi River today, although large trees grew in the late nineteenth century in the Chimanimani district of Zimbabwe[]. However, the plant is still widespread in southern Africa and so it is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern Africa - S Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

Mainly in cool and wet mountain fynbos, often in rocky outcrops and among boulders on summits, or in montane grassland often near streams, and in canyon woodland, accompanied by numerous fynbos genera or forming pure stands[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant mainly found in cool and wet mountain fynbos in the tropics and subtropics, growing at elevations from 100 - 2,590 metres. The climate varies from Mediterranean in the Cape region to subtropical with summer rains and tropical montane in Malawi[].
Established plants are very drought tolerant[]. Plants are found in the wild on nutrient-poor, acidic soils that are derived mostly from granite, quarzite or sandstone[].
Trees are highly inflammable and should not be planted close to houses in areas prone to bush fires[].
Unlike other members of this genus, this species is capable of coppicing: it resprouts after fire[].
The seed can be retained on the tree for a long time, being released when the tree is killed by fire and germinating rapidly to recolonize the area[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The wood is light, very durable and has a natural satiny sheen[, ]. It is suitable for furniture and finish carpentry, and also makes tough roofing shingles that weather to an attractive silver-grey[].

Propagation

Seed -

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