Can anyone identify what tree this is from?

Compton_effect

Compton_effect

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Anyone know what this is from?

My wife found this on a large tree at a client.
They had no idea what it is called, so she brought it to me.
Sadly, my google-fu was not strong enough for this one.
Is this a indigenous plant?

Bananas to scale. :whistle:

WhatAreYou.jpg
 
A banana tree? jk:D

Crap! I know the Afrikaans name to this tree, or at least the "volksmond" name... but I'm drawing a blank at the mo.

When I was little, we had a big one of these at our garden gate. It had a very soft wood and it had thousands of these "trossies". They caused quite a stench (and a mess) when they went yellow and "vrot" - fermenting in the sun. :sick:
 
blahdihel said:
Crap! I know the Afrikaans name to this tree, or at least the "volksmond" name... but I'm drawing a blank at the mo.

When I was little, we had a big one of these at our garden gate. It had a very soft wood and it had thousands of these "trossies". They caused quite a stench (and a mess) when they went yellow and "vrot" - fermenting in the sun. :sick:
Click to expand...

I had exactly the same experience in the now famous Marikana North west province when I was young. All I could remember was that we were not to consume any of it.
 
I remembered the name we knew it by: Wynboom

We played "karretjies" under it and each tiny fruit/seed looks like a tiny "boerpampoen". Used to load them into the back of my toy bakkie and take them to the market. Ahh, nostalgia... :)
 
Response from a tree expert

Good day to you.

Please let me know if I am correct in believing that the fruit comes from a tree with thick trunk and buttress roots, the leaf stalks being pinkish.
The tree I describe is the Phytolacca dioica, called Belhambra in this country, Ombu in its native South America where it is often the only shade on the Argentinian plains.
It is a disaster near structures or services with its roots.

The tree interests me in that one common name in SA is “weiingboom”, which should be “weidingboom” as it was planted for fodder I was told. This is contrary to the stated toxicity. The leaves are said to be used as a vegetable and are even canned!

The tree I describe has another interesting feature, it has soft tissue and on dying disintegrates rapidly.

I would appreciate hearing from you.

Regards
Walter Barker
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for that info, Seriously.

"Weidingboom" makes a lot more sense than "Wynboom", since there are still a few left on my dad's farm, planted specifically for fodder in a couple of pens.
 
blahdihel said:
Thanks for that info, Seriously.

"Weidingboom" makes a lot more sense than "Wynboom", since there are still a few left on my dad's farm, planted specifically for fodder in a couple of pens.
Click to expand...

"Since the sap is poisonous, the ombú is not grazed by cattle and is immune to locusts and other pests. For similar reasons, the leaves are sometimes used as a laxative or purgant"

Seems at odds with 'Weidingboom' but it does tie in with Seriously's statement: "All I could remember was that we were not to consume any of it."
 
If you smoke too much of it, you will hallucinate and see chronically sh*tting cows!

Mmmm... That sounds like a not too flattering Native American Chief's name: Chronically Sh*tting Cow :D
 
I believe it's technically illegal to have one of these growing.
 
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