Endangered and indigenous plants cultivated at Skukuza nursery

Not many visitors to the Kruger National Park (KNP) are aware of the impressive indigenous plant nursery, which is open to everyone, just outside Skukuza camp.

In the early 1970’s, the nursery was only an area of 100x45m near the current director’s office complex bordering the Skukuza camp. The area around here was planted as a botanical garden during 1970/71 and in July 1973 the first horticulturalist, Mr Scholtz, was appointed with the responsibility of looking after the small nursery, the botanical garden and the gardens of all the rest camps.

The nursery as it stands today, between the staff village and the golf club, was started by Harry Matthysen during 1975. The office buildings and information complex were built during 1983/84 and the primary function of the nursery, during this time, was to provide indigenous plants free of charge to staff members in an effort to encourage indigenous gardens in the staff village and the camps.

Over the years the nursery has increased in size and improved on the cultivation and propagation techniques of selected KNP indigenous plants. Ona Davies took over the management of the nursery in 1990 and over the years built up the impressive selection of trees and shrubs that is available today. Ona made contact with experts in the field of plant cultivation and learnt the secrets of cultivating selected indigenous plants found in Kruger from seed.

Most of the plants in the nursery have been grown from seed collected in the KNP, by field and section rangers in all the different landscapes of the Park. The nursery now has stock of over 185 KNP plant species ranging from trees and shrubs to aloes and other interesting succulents. Included in this are the critically endangered Adenium swazicum (Swazi Lily) and the Wild Ginger (Siphonichilus aetheopicum) both of which are under cultivation in the nursery. The nursery is also well known for the beautiful impala and kudu lilies.

Management of the nursery now falls under the SANParks Scientific Services department, which aims to develop the nursery facility into a hub of botanical research and education that will encompass a wide spectrum of programmes to benefit the whole of the KNP. This service will also extend to facilitate education of both visitors, staff and particularly school learners about the value and distinctive attributes of our botanical heritage, it’s role in biodiversity and the need to practice plant conservation on a global scale.

Management of the nursery now falls under the SANParks Scientific Services department, which aims to develop the nursery facility into a hub of botanical research and education that will encompass a wide spectrum of programmes to benefit the whole of the KNP. This service will also extend to facilitate education of both visitors, staff and particularly school learners about the value and distinctive attributes of our botanical heritage, it’s role in biodiversity and the need to practice plant conservation on a global scale.

Set out under a cool canopy of tall trees, the nursery is neatly laid out and presents detailed information of each plant species, from how big and how fast it grows to local medicinal uses of the specific plant. The staff is also knowledgeable on what plants to select for indigenous gardens and what conditions each plant require to grow.

The Honorary Rangers run the nursery over the weekends and have compiled a comprehensive booklet providing lists of trees and shrubs that will attract birds and butterflies to your garden including those species that will grow on the Highveld.

“Visit the Skukuza nursery today and see for yourself the vast array of trees and shrubs that can enhance your garden and help to replace invasive exotic species. Take a piece of the Kruger Park home with you or give a gift that keeps on growing,” says Michele Hofmeyr. ?The nursery is open seven days a week from 08h00 to 16h00.