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Thicket Baboon Cabbage
Othonna triplinervia
SA tree number
English: Thicket Baboon Cabbage, Three‑veined Othonna, Thicket Baboon-cabbage
Othonna triplinervia, also called Thicket Baboon Cabbage or Three‑veined Othonna, is a succulent shrub with brittle, fleshy branches and soft leathery leaves. It forms a rounded evergreen mound about 0.5 m to 1.5–2 m tall, with obovate leaves clustered at branch tips and bright yellow daisy‑type flowers in winter and autumn.
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Distinguishing features:
Brittle succulent stems forming a rounded shrub up to about 2 m tall
Obovate leaves tapering toward the base, slightly fleshy, soft but leathery, crowded at branch tips and absent lower down
Leaves light green to bluish in colour
Yellow radiate flowers with usually five ray florets, in loose terminal clusters (corymbs) in winter/autumn
Overall appearance:
A succulent shrub with brittle, fleshy branches forming a rounded mound
Height:
0.5 m, eventually reaching about 1.5–2 m
Leaves:
Obovate (egg‑shaped), tapering to the base, entire to scarcely lobed; slightly fleshy but soft and leathery; crowded toward branch ends; light green to bluish
Flowers:
Radiate yellow flowers, usually five ray florets; produced on long stalks in loose many‑flowered terminal corymbs
Flowering season:
April to June (autumn and winter in South Africa)
Stems:
Thick, succulent, brittle branches; leafless lower stems showing leaf scars
Caudex:
A caudex or base swelling may form to store water
Soil type:
Sandy or loam soils, well drained
Aspect:
Prefers full sun; suitable for rocky sites, rockeries, retaining walls
Uses:
• Grown horticulturally for indoor or outdoor display
• Suitable as container plant or natural bonsai in shallow pots
• Excellent water‑wise rockery or border specimen
Ecology:
• Flowers attract bees, butterflies and beetles
• Succulent stems and caudex store water and help survival during dry spells
Distribution and habitat:
• Provinces: Eastern Cape (between Humandsdorp, Jansenville and Grahamstown)
• Habitat: rocky slopes and cliffs, thicket and scrub vegetation
Derivation of name:
• Genus name from Greek othonne meaning linen or cloth, referring to soft leaves
• Species name triplinervia means ‘three‑veined’, referring to leaves with three main nerves from the middle
Interesting facts:
Its name triplinervia literally points to the three veins in each leaf – nature’s own hint to spot it.
Despite being succulent, its leaves feel soft and leathery, not stiff.
It forms a natural bonsai-like shrub, so with minimal watering it looks quite sculptural.
If you think its leaves look soft, they’re still tough enough to save water in dry spells.
Growing tips:
Plant in full sun in well‑drained sandy or loam soil, ideal on rocky slopes or in rockeries
Water sparingly once established; avoid waterlogging especially in winter
Propagate by cuttings year‑round, especially in dry months; cuttings from 100–300 mm root within 4–6 weeks
Seed propagation takes longer; sow in late winter or early spring in a sandy, bark‑mixed medium
Provide a sunny, frost‑protected position
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
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Plant family:
Plant family (derivation)