Tambuki Thorn Project

01/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share some wonderful news from the Manie van der Schijff Botanical Garden, at the University of Pretoria!

Mr Jason Sampson (Head Curator) confirmed that the garden is home to eight specimens of the Tambuki Thorn (Erythrina acanthocarpa), all still fairly young, with the oldest being about 12 years old. Five can be found in the Boulevard area, in front of and opposite the old Agriculture building, while three more grow near the Stoneman building.

There are also two additional specimens at the Future Africa campus, although these may soon be moved.

This year, the plants flowered beautifully, and Mr Sampson has even hand-pollinated some of the blooms in the hopes of producing seeds — an exciting step towards the future conservation of this rare Eastern Cape shrub.

We are grateful to the curators and staff of the Manie van der Schijff Botanical Garden for their dedicated work in preserving, nurturing and showcasing South Africa’s indigenous flora.

Four photos of the shrubs in flower at the university have been added to this post — a real treat to see them in full bloom!

25/09/2025

Did you know?

The Tambuki Thorn has not one, but two pollinators: birds and insects.

For a time, scientists believed that the Tambuki Thorn was a self-pollinating plant – but this turned out not to be true.

The Southern Double-collared Sunbird, with its slender probing beak, can easily reach the nectar hidden inside the flower’s papilionaceous shape. For bees, however, the flower is much less accessible. Yet, through sheer determination, honey bees manage to force the flower open with their heads, gaining access to both nectar and pollen.

In the videos, you can see a female Southern Double-collared Sunbird delicately probing the papilionaceous flowers of the Tambuki Thorn, while a honey bee works hard to prise one open for its reward.

24/09/2025

I am, you are, we are UmSintsi!

The Tambuki Thorn is part of all our heritage – named after the AmaTembu people, who lived in Thembuland (the historic region in and around Komani) and known by several common names and spellings. In isiXhosa it is called UmSintsi. In Afrikaans it is known as Tamboekiedoring, Tamboekiewortel, or Wag-’n-Bietjiedoring. In English it is referred to as the Tambookie Thorn or Tambuki Thorn.

Although endemic to our region, the Tambuki Thorn can be found far and wide, finding a place in botanical collections across the globe: locally in the botanical gardens of the Universities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch; in our neighbouring country of Namibia, beside the Christuskirche (DELK) in Windhoek; and much further afield in the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California (USA), the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, and even in Siciliana (Sicily), Italy.

The Tambuki Thorn is our earnestness. The Tambuki Thorn is heritage! Happy Heritage Day!

11/09/2025

Thank you, Hoërskool Hangklip High School for taking part!

We encourage other schools in our region to get their environmental clubs involved in this initiative too.

09/09/2025

This shrub is cherished by Queenstonians. We love it so much for its beauty—especially in spring—that many of us keep one or two in our gardens.

If you have a Tambuki Thorn shrub in your garden, send us a DM or WhatsApp us at 081 813 6700. We’d love to hear your story and share it with others.

08/09/2025

Our community is actively contributing their observations on iNaturalist.org to help identify where this marvellous shrub can be found.

Thank you, Jean-Mari Castles, for taking part in the project and helping us observe the Tambuki Thorn.

Tambuki Thorn from Komani, Eastern Cape, ZA on September 7, 2025 at 10:52 AM by Jean-Mari Castles. Tabuki Thorn

29/08/2025

The Tambuki Thorn Project is live!

Komani’s own endemic shrub, the Tambuki Thorn (Erythrina acanthocarpa), is budding – and soon its bright red flowers will be visible across the region.

We invite the community to help rediscover and document this special plant using the iNaturalist app. Every photo and GPS point helps us build a clearer picture of where the Tambuki Thorn still thrives – and where it needs protection.

How to join:

1. Download the iNaturalist.org app
2. Go to Projects → search Tambuki Thorn Project
3. Tap Join and start adding your observations

This project is about more than science – it is about reconnecting Komani with its natural heritage. Whether you are a learner, family, or nature lover, you can be part of protecting this iconic shrub.

A big thank you to The Rep, Komani for publishing today’s article about the project and helping us spread the word.

Follow this page for updates, photos, and community stories as the project grows. Please share this post to invite others to join.

19/08/2025

Signs of New Life on the Tambuki Thorn (Erythrina acanthocarpa)

After a long winter rest, our local Tambuki Thorn shrubs are showing the first signs of bud break. If you look closely at the branches, you’ll see clusters of small, rounded buds beginning to swell — the very start of their seasonal renewal.

Though the shrubs still appear bare and thorny, these buds are the promise of what’s to come: the spectacular red flower spikes that make the Tambuki Thorn such a striking feature of our landscape. Soon, these blossoms will bring colour back to the veld and provide food for pollinators, especially birds.

These early signs remind us of the resilience of this indigenous plant — surviving through the dry season, only to burst back to life with the change of season. The Tambuki Thorn not only connects us to the unique natural heritage of the Queenstown district, but also serves as a symbol of endurance and renewal.

📸 Photos: Bud clusters forming on a Tambuki Thorn shrub at Hangklip High School in Komani, August 2025.