Cabbage tree

Cabbage tree Overview

Cussonia is a genus containing roughly 20 tree or shrub species in the Araliaceae family. These plants produce irregularly shaped foliage that contributes to a striking overall appearance. Native to Africa, most species are located in South Africa and the Mascarene Islands, these plants are found in forest, grass and woodland habitats. Leaves tend to be deeply divided in a pinnatisect shape with opposite lobes which vary in size along the leaf and these are clustered at the ends of branches. Some species have entire foliage or leaves shaped hastately, these are roughly triangular, with pointed lobes near the leaf base. Flowers are produced in dense spikes or unbranched racemes, they have 5 semi-fleshy, yellow-green petals which do not overlap and 5 fleshy stamens.