Our Quinine Tree

By vic | 25/05/2018 | Featured, Plants, Trees

The Growcery Camp's Quinine Tree

We love our trees, and our Quinine Tree is one of our favourites. The reason we love our Quinine Trees is that of its variety of medicinal uses and its natural beauty. The name explains it all. One of the purposes of this tree is to prevent or fight the fever of Malaria disease. This medicinal use is a local belief in the Okavango regions of Southern Africa. We are not implying that it is suitable for treating Malaria. Only stating that certain tribes in the Okavango Delta use it as a remedy that reduces the fever caused by Malaria.

Have a look at our beautiful Quinine Tree out on the lawn right in front of the bar the next time you visit The Growcery. There is another tree in front of the men's ablution blocks. These trees are cuttings from a mother tree in South Africa.

Quinine Tree

The (Rauvolfia Caffra) varies from 5 to 30 meters in Height with a pale yellowish-brown to grey brak. The leaves are oblong, shiny green and hairless. The tree is easily mistaken for a Mango Tree. This mistaken identity is due to a similar leave formation between the Mango Tree and the Quinine Tree. This Tree is an evergreen tree and indigenous to Southern Africa and South Africa.

The Active Medicinal ingredients are the following: Indole Alkaloids, ajmalicine.

Medical Use: The bark is in use to Treat the fever of Malaria, insomnia and Fevers.
The milk of the tree is used to treat skin rash.

• Quinine Tree (English).
• Kinaboom (Afrikaans).
• Umhlambamase (Xhosa).
• Umhlambamanzi (Zulu).

It is, in general, a great looking tree with sharp leaves. easy to keep and a fast-growing Tree..