Trachyandra ciliata
ASPHODELACEAE
- There’a a lot to love about veldkool! With its edible fleshy leaves and flower buds, this tufted perennial sprawls to about 50cm in height. Come spring it produces ephemeral, white, scented, star-like flowers in clusters called racemes. The trailing flowering stems are best eaten before the flowers open and prepared much like asparagus. Also highly recommended fried in olive oil with chilli and garlic.
- Flowering time: July-October
In your garden: Perfect for sun and sand in coastal veggie gardens. Don’t be alarmed when the plants die back during summer – they will resprout from their swollen rootstock in winter and reward you with a rich harvest in spring. Be sure to leave some flowering stems for foraging bees and other insects to feast on pollen and nectar when the flowers open!
Distribution: Common along the coast from Namibia to the Cape Peninsula and the southeastern Cape
Image: © James Puttick
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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
