Struthiola dodecandra
THYMELAEACEAE
- What better common name than ‘soetgonna’ to describe a species so true to the Cape! This name, meaning ‘sweet slender shrub’, fuses words from both Afrikaans (‘soet’) and Kora (‘gonna’) languages of early Cape Town. It refers to the flowers’ olfactory cues for pollinator attraction, and the fibrous stems used for rope-making. Pollinated by moths, the pale pinkish-white flowers are easily detected during the dark night-time hours by their colour and ability to produce highly fragrant volatile chemicals (with the scent being carried on warm air currents).
- Flowering time: All year round
In your garden: Plant in full sun in moist sand or clayey soils – perfect for grey water wetland surrounds
Distribution: Damp lower sandstone slopes and lowlands from the Cape Peninsula to the southern Cape
Image: © James Puttick
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
There are many different ways for you to get involved in Cape Town’s locally indigenous greening movement: you can plant your own LIFE garden, volunteer your time, donate money or other resources, fundraise, or shop for botanical products in support of our organisation.
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Sponsors & Partners
- Mapula Trust
- City of Cape Town Environmental Management
- City of Cape Town Recreation and Parks
- ATIAN
- Friends of Tokai Park
- WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa)
- SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute)
- Zandvlei Trust
- Muizenberg Improvement District
- Jonsson Workwear
- Friends of Constantia Valley Greenbelts
- Keurboom Park Association
- Botanical Society of South Africa
- Happy By Nature
- CoralBloom Studio
- iNaturalist
- Ingcungcu
- Krige Tree Services
- JL Treefell
- Friends of Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei
- Enviropaedia
- Princessvlei Forum
- South Peninsula Conservation
- Friends of Park Island
