Eland’s bean, elands wattle, elephant’s root (Eng); baswortel, elandsboontjie leerbossie looiersbontjie and olifantswortel (Afrikaans)
I know that some call me a bit of a “tree huger” but this would be one very difficult tree to hug…. But yes, I am a bit of a tree huger and hate seeing plants being destroyed unnecessarily…
A recent walk around the Sishen golf course caused my faith in plant protection to be renewed… somehow this plant is doing well and if anything increasing in the area. As the course is within a forest of protected trees (Camel Thorn Vachellia erioloba ) it was great to see many outcrops of the plant or tree…
Underground trees??? Sound like a misnomer??? Not so, they do exist and this is one… walking amid the stems that grow above ground gives one the feeling of walking on the canopy of a very old large tree….
Perennial suffrutex (Low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base) produces unbranched, unarmed, aerial stems up to 0.9 m high. It is these stems that represent the canopy of the much larger tree which is growing below ground… Now how do you hug a tree that is below ground.??
This plant when I first came across it in the Steelpoort area was listed as “threatened” on the Red Data List, but has now been categorised as LC (least concerned).. It was thought to be threatened because of its medicinal uses, but studies have now shown it has withstood the test of time better than what was first expected….
The flowers grow in clusters near the ground and even in some cases protruding from the ground.. it flowers from September to November and has never relied on rain, the pods are dark or reddish-brown…
Although considered least concerned on the Red Data List… it is important to realise that when a stand is destroyed, regeneration is not always forthcoming… this is not a weed, yet it is often wrongly identified as “Black Wattle” (Acacia mearnsii) and destroyed as unwanted…
The medicinal uses of this plant by the local tribal doctors is thought of as a remedy for dysentery, diarrhoea, stopping bleeding, treating intestinal disorders, hemorrhoids, heart ailments and syphilis..
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
Where the “tree hugger” badge with pride, Rob. I really do believe that every living species is important in supporting life. These underground trees are fascinating. I hope you saved a few from a Roundup death!
Fascinating information, I am always so amazed by the adaptive behavior of our neighbors here on earth. When you really stop to look and take it all in it is so hard to not be struck by it.
Such lovely flowers they have. It would make a great bonsai, don’t you think? 😀
The underground tree is just too big before it flowers Sonel so no it would not work as a bonsai… and the other problem the above ground branches die back after seeding so it is not a permanent, above ground plant…. sorry…
Amazing! I’ve never heard of an underground tree. It’s easy to see why it would be mistaken for a weed though.
It does look a lot like a new growth of black wattle each summer. .. in winter it dies back and there is nothing to see…
Wow – what a learning experience. I love discovering new facts and this certainly is a new one for me. This is just amazing… Thanks for sharing this info with us…
It is a pleasure for me to do
Bulldog you are mine of information – I learn so much from you. Amazing plant to think it grows below ground.
Thank you Jan… when it comes to nature I’ve lived a very blessed life
What amazing plants, bulldog. You’d have to be quite short to be an Elandsboontjie hugger. I read that research is being done to see if this plant can help with baldness. 🙂
Yes Sylvia… I’m one of the test cases… so far nothing is helping… lol
😀 Hubby says, “Join the club.”
Quite the ailment cure, isn’t it? I’d love to see what that tree looks like below ground. When I had a garden, I couldn’t resist pulling up the carrots a tad too soon because I couldn’t wait to see how big they had gotten. 😉
It is quite a tuber if I can call it that… and they get quite big, not quite the trees we know, but I’ve seen one that was dug up on a construction site, a good 6 ft long and at least 2 ft in diameter… I was called in to ID and I couldn’t never seen it before and that is when we called in Prof .. he is South Africa’s expert on trees with a few books and also sits on the international board for tree naming… that is when he showed me the first one I’d ever seen….
I have never heard of such a thing bulldog – a tree that is mostly underground – how amazing!
Diana xo
I actually spent a day with a Professor looking for this plant years ago to establish protection for it on a mine… I couldn’t believe it at the moment either. ..
sounds like a useful and unique plant–absolutely worth saving. As for your question, how do you hug a tree that grows mainly underground? With your heart, Rob. ❤
Aaah thank you… with my heart… never thought of that
That is really fascinating – I’ve never heard of such a thing. Any idea of what it looks like underground – I’m assuming there’s no greenery 😉
Good luck to the farmer or property owner trying to pull out those ‘weeds’ 🙂
It looks like a small boabab… or a very thick bulbous the trunk… goes down deep
Absolutely fascinating, I had no idea…
Jinne – vrek interessant. Ek gaan defnitief van nou af anders na hul kyk …
Interesting post Rob…I have learnt something new today.
Thanks Brian
Gosh, that’s fascinating, I’ve never heard of such a thing! Do they ever cause the ground to crumble, or form big holes or something as they grow?
Not at all… they do become quite a big tree below ground, but not big enough to cause such damage
It sure does LOOK like a wattle.
Fascinating plant.
Highly mistaken as such… in fact came across a farmer spraying them with round-up… he didn’t want to believe me when I told him