There’s a deep connection between nature and African culture. At Cheetah Plains, this relationship unfolds in our indigenous gardens in truly remarkable ways.
Speak with the team who carefully tend to the Cheetah Plains gardens, and you’ll quickly discover that their work goes beyond aesthetics. Each plant and tree is chosen with deep care and respect for the important roles they’ve played in the lives of the people of this region for centuries.
The plants you’ll encounter in the gardens of Cheetah Plains hold immense cultural significance some for their medicinal properties, others for their spiritual value, and many for their practical uses. By creating a space where heritage and nature seamlessly intertwine, even on a simple walk from the pool to your villa, we hope to share some of this long-standing wisdom.
Consider the Tamboti tree, for example, which you’ll find in the gardens of all three villas. This medium-sizeddeciduous tree is native to Southern Africa and is especially common in South Africa’s Lowveld region. You’ll soon learn to recognise it by its distinctive dark, fissured bark and glossy green leaves, which turn yellow before falling.
For centuries, the Tamboti has been used for wood carvings and furniture-making. It also has traditional medicinal uses, including the treatment of pneumonia. However, the Tamboti must be handled with care in its natural state, as its wood releases a toxic, milky latex. Ingeniously, local tribes have used this latex as a poison on spear tips, making hunting more efficient.
While the Tamboti tree presents a fascinating mix of toxicity and utility, the Marula tree offers a more familiar value. Famous for its edible fruit and the liqueur Amarula Cream, the Marula tree holds great significance in Shangaan culture. Regarded as an ancestral tree of immense value, its oil is still used today in hair products, body moisturisers, and cooking oil. You’ll find Marula trees scattered throughout the bush and in the gardens near Karula and Mvula villas at Cheetah Plains.
The Oncoba spinosa, commonly known as the snuff box tree, adds yet another layer of cultural richness to the Cheetah Plains gardens. You’ll recognise it either as a spiny shrub or a small tree with white flowers. Its name comes from the hard-shelled fruit, traditionally used to make snuff boxes, which hold cultural significance in many African communities.
The roots of the snuff box tree are also used to treat digestive issues and bladder ailments, while its seeds produce an oil that can be used as varnish. Examples of the snuff box tree can be found at all three villas, and our team will be delighted to share stories about their unique cultural significance.
Of course, many other plants, either within the Cheetah Plains gardens or visible from the villas, carry deep cultural meaning for the people of this continent. Apple-leaf trees have been used to make antibacterial drinks, while Leadwood and Buffalo Thorn trees have traditionally been used to treat coughs. The latter also features in rituals among certain communities to lay the souls of the dead to rest. The Z-shaped branches of the Buffalo Thorn, to some, symbolise life’s challenges: the straight thorn represents the future, while the curved thorn reflects the past. So powerful is this belief that many people refuse to use Buffalo Thorn wood for fire.
And then there is the Impala Lily, a striking plant with both aesthetic and medicinal value. As Paul, our head groundsman, explains: “The Impala Lily is believed to help with female reproductive issues and pain relief.”
The plants and trees in our gardens are more than just part of the immediate landscape; they embody the profound connection between nature and culture that has defined life for communities in this region for centuries.
Although September marks Heritage Month in South Africa, making it a fitting time for reflection, during your next visit to Cheetah Plains, take a moment in our beautiful gardens to appreciate just how much more these plants offer than meets the eye.
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