By Josh Truter

While there are parts of the world that suffer from torrential rain, monsoons and endless floods, there are other parts that are classified as arid and water-stressed. Climate change, due to an excess of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, has been dubbed as one of the main causes.

For centuries, forests have contributed enormously to the management of CO₂ in the air, but due to the ongoing growth of the world’s population, the demand for timber has led to deforestation in many countries. Anything that can contribute to the reduction of CO₂ in our atmosphere, particularly in traffic-congested cities, will be a win for us and what better way to do so than by introducing carbon-neutralising plants into our gardens.

MIRACLE PLANT

There’s one succulent, in particular, that’s made a name for itself in this category. In South Africa, it’s called Spekboom.

Spekboom is the Afrikaans version of the English description, Bacon Tree. But that’s just one of its many names. Some people also call the succulent Pork Bush, while others call it Dwarf Jade. In rural areas, it’s often referred to as the Elephant Bush because wild game, especially elephants, love to feed on the succulent’s leaves.

Fortunately, it only has one scientific name: Portulacaria afra.

GREAT BENEFITS FOR HUMANS

• Did you know that sucking on a leaf from a Spekboom can quench your thirst? It’s also used to treat exhaustion and alleviate heatstroke – something worth remembering if you’re out in the bush without any liquids to drink.

• Chefs love using Spekboom leaves because their citrusy flavour adds a fresh zing to salads, stews and roasts. And you can even use them to decorate cakes!

• The juice from the leaves is an effective antiseptic that will soothe mouth infections and sore throats. It can also be used for pimples, rashes, stings and sunburn.

• In some areas, such as in Mozambique, breastfeeding mothers often eat Spekboom leaves to increase their milk supply.

RESILIENT IN ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS

As it doesn’t need much water to survive, (as little as 250-350 mm of water per year will keep it going), Spekboom is very resilient.

Its unique photosynthetic mechanism helps it to thrive in rain belt areas as well as water-stressed areas. In fact, it can grow year round in most climates, which makes it suitable for almost any garden.

IMPROVES OUR AIR QUALITY

Spekboom has the amazing ability to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere much faster than many other plants in the garden.

In fact, researchers say that, even after the sun sets, the plant uses stores of solar energy to perform photosynthesis at night. As it simultaneously produces oxygen, it improves the quality of the air that we breathe, basically, 24/7.

SPEKBOOM CAN GROW IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

Spekboom plants can be grown as Bonsai trees and they can be used to make Spekboom forests as they can grow up to five metres high. Some horticulturists even use Spekboom for a hedge.

In a water-wise garden, Spekboom is an excellent contrast to chunkier succulents, adding a depth of green to an often bland grey-green landscape design.

EASY TO GROW

Excellent news for budget gardeners is that Spekboom is easy to propagate.

• Break off a branch or twig from a Spekboom plant.
• Let it dry out for a couple of days.
• Then plant it directly into the ground or in a pot.
• Water it with a few drops of water every few days.
• Before you know it, you’ll find it’s started to grow into a new Spekboom plant.

And as Spekboom is able to grow rapidly in both wet and dry conditions, this miracle plant is a fabulous maintenance-free way for you to reduce your carbon footprint without the need to break a sweat.