Mauritius Thorn
Caesalpinia decapetala
NEMBA category
English: Mauritius Thorn, Mysore Thorn, Shoofly
Afrikaans: Kraaldoring
Zulu: ufenisi; ubobo-encane
Caesalpinia decapetala, also known as the Mysore thorn, is a highly invasive plant in South Africa. It's a prickly shrub, climber, or tree with yellow flowers that can grow into dense thickets
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Origins: India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, and Malaysia
Overall Appearance:
Caesalpinia decapetala is a thorny, scrambling shrub or climber that can grow up to 10 meters tall. It forms dense, impenetrable thickets.
Leaves:
Leaves are bipinnate (twice-compound), meaning they have a main stalk with several pairs of smaller branches, each bearing pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are small, oval-shaped, and dark green.
Flowers:
Flowers are small, pale yellow, and borne in clusters.
Flowering Season:
Flowering occurs from spring to autumn.
Fruits:
Flattened, brown pods containing several seeds.
Seeds:
Small, hard, and dark brown.
Bark:
Grey-brown and may become slightly fissured with age.
Wood:
Hard and durable.
Soil Type:
Adaptable to a wide range of soil types.
Aspect:
Prefers full sun to partial shade.
Uses:
Historically used as a living fence due to its thorny nature.
Problem Provinces:
Widespread throughout South Africa, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng.
Note:
Caesalpinia decapetala is a serious invasive species in South Africa.
It forms dense thickets that displace native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and impede human and animal movement.
It can also damage infrastructure such as fences and power lines.
Friendly alternatives:
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Scientific Name
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Plant type
Plant family:
Plant family (derivation)