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Red Currant
Searsia chirindensis
SA tree no: 380
English: Red Currant
Afrikaans: Bostaaibos
N. Sotho: Motha-thaa
Xhosa: umHlakothi, inHlokoshiyane enkulu
Tswana: Moleta-phanga
Venda: Muvhadela-phanga
Historical names: Rhus acuminata, Rhus chirindensis, Rhus chirindensis forma legatii, Rhus laevigata (misapplied name), Rhus legatii, Searsia legatii
Searsia chirindensis, widely known as Red Currant or Bostaaibos, is an attractive semi-deciduous tree or large shrub that's common throughout the eastern parts of South Africa, including areas around Kenton-on-Sea. It's especially loved for its beautiful reddish autumn foliage, which puts on a spectacular display before the leaves fall.
While young branches might have spines, mature trees are typically spineless. Its small, yellowish-green flowers are followed by abundant clusters of small, shiny, dark reddish-brown fruits, which are a favourite snack for many birds and monkeys.
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Distinguishing features:
Semi-deciduous shrub to medium-sized tree.
Young and coppicing branches may be spiny, but mature trees are typically spineless.
Leaves are trifoliate (three-part), large, glossy dark green, turning red in autumn.
Small, yellowish-green flowers in clusters.
Produces abundant, round, shiny, dark reddish-brown fruits in heavy clusters.
Overall appearance:
Searsia chirindensis is a graceful semi-deciduous tree or large shrub with a spreading, rounded crown. Its most striking feature is its large, glossy, three-part leaves that transform into lovely reddish autumn colours, creating a vibrant seasonal display.
Height:
Typically 6 m to 10 m high, but exceptional specimens can reach up to 20 m.
Leaves:
Trifoliate (compound with three leaflets).
Large, up to 130 mm long (for the entire leaf).
Leaflets are ovate (egg-shaped) to broadly lanceolate (spear-shaped), with the terminal leaflet being the largest.
Dark green and glossy on the upper surface, lighter green below.
Margins are entire (smooth) and usually undulate (wavy).
Apex (tip) is tapering, often with a long pointed drip-tip.
Midrib is often pinkish and may be sunken above and prominent below.
Young leaves are reddish.
Petiole (leaf stalk) can be up to 70 mm long and may also be reddish.
Flowers:
Small, minute.
Yellowish-green.
Borne in clusters (panicles) at the ends of the branches.
Male and female flowers occur on separate trees (dioecious).
Flowering season:
August to March (late winter through summer into early autumn).
Fruits:
Small, round, shiny, slightly fleshy drupes.
4 mm to 7 mm in diameter.
Dark reddish-brown when ripe.
Borne in heavy clusters that can weigh down the branches.
Edible, though described as sour.
Seeds:
Enclosed within the fruit.
Best grown from fresh seeds, which usually germinate after 5-8 weeks.
Bark:
On mature main stems, it is rough and darker.
On young stems, it is smooth and somewhat shiny.
Trunk can reach up to 1.3 m wide in exceptional specimens.
May exude a deep red sap when cut.
Stems:
Young and coppicing (sprouting from the base) branches may be armed with spines.
Mature trees are typically spineless.
Branches can be dull brown or blackish (when dried).
Wood:
Sapwood is yellowish to reddish.
Heartwood is a rich reddish-brown, heavy, and strong.
Thorns:
Young and coppicing branches are armed with spines; mature trees are generally spineless.
Roots:
Non-aggressive root system, making it suitable for planting closer to structures.
Soil type:
Prefers well-drained, composted soil. Tolerates a wide range of soil types, including sandy and loam.
Aspect:
Can be grown in full sun or partial shade. Tolerates moderate frosts and is drought-hardy once established.
Edibility:
The fruit is edible, sweetish, and thinly fleshy, but can be sour. All indigenous Searsia species in South Africa have edible fruit rich in carbohydrates.
Toxicity:
No information on toxicity found in sources.
Uses:
Landscaping: Excellent garden tree with lovely autumn foliage. Can be a spreading shade tree. Useful as a tall, shrubby backdrop or screen. Can be pruned to maintain a mushroom shape or left to grow multi-stemmed.
Wildlife attraction: Fruits are a favourite food for many bird species (including louries, bulbuls, barbets, white-eyes, pigeons) and monkeys. Flowers attract insect-eating birds and are a host plant for at least five butterfly species larvae.
Traditional Medicinal: Sap used for treating heart complaints. Bark used to strengthen the body, stimulate circulation, and treat rheumatism and mental disorders. Bark extracts may be useful in treating convulsions and epilepsy.
Timber: Wood makes good, attractive furniture. Historically used for wagon wood, turning, and small tools.
Fodder: Provides valuable fodder for antelope in dry areas (leaves browsed).
Ecology:
Dioecious: Requires both male and female trees for fruit development.
Pollination: Flowers are pollinated by bees and other insects.
Seed dispersal: Birds and monkeys eat the fruit and disperse the seeds.
Habitat: Common in moist eastern parts of South Africa. Occurs naturally in forests, along forest margins, in riverine bush and scrub forest, and on rocky hillsides. Found up to 2 000 m altitude.
Coppicing: Common, meaning it can regrow from its base after being cut or damaged.
Distribution and habitat:
Not endemic to South Africa. Widespread across eastern South Africa, extending northwards to Eswatini, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
In South Africa, it occurs from Swellendam in the Western Cape, along the coastal belt, through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, through the Natal midlands, and up the escarpment into Mpumalanga and the eastern part of Limpopo.
Occurs naturally in forests, along forest margins, in riverine bush and scrub forest, and on rocky hillsides.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Searsia honours Paul B. Sears (1891–1990), an American ecologist and head of the Yale School of Botany. Most Rhus species in southern Africa have been reclassified into Searsia.
The species name chirindensis is named after the Chirinda Forest in Zimbabwe, where it was first collected. It is the largest of all southern African Searsia species.
Common name "Red Currant" refers to a fancied resemblance of the fruit to the European redcurrant. "Bostaaibos" is an Afrikaans name.
Interesting facts:
This tree is like a fashion model, putting on a spectacular reddish autumn foliage show before its leaves drop – it's absolutely beautiful!
It's called "Red Currant" because its small, dark reddish-brown fruits look a bit like currants, and they come in such heavy clusters they can weigh down the branches!
Many birds and even monkeys absolutely love feasting on its fruit, making it a fantastic tree to plant if you want to attract wildlife to your garden.
The wood of the Red Currant is super strong and beautiful, and was historically used for making wagon parts and furniture – pretty impressive for a tree that can also be a dense screen!
Growing tips:
Planting location: Searsia chirindensis is an excellent choice for a garden tree, offering good shade. It can be a lovely specimen tree or used as a tall, shrubby backdrop or screen. Its non-aggressive root system makes it suitable for various planting spots.
Soil and watering: Plant in well-drained, composted soil. While drought-hardy once established, regular watering is beneficial, especially for young plants.
Aspect: Grows well in full sun or partial shade. It tolerates moderate frosts.
Maintenance: Prune from an early age if you want a single-stemmed specimen tree. If left unpruned, it will grow into a multi-stemmed large shrub, which can be great for screens.
Propagation: Easily grown from fresh seeds or cuttings. Seeds: Sow fresh seeds in trays in spring. Germination usually takes 5-8 weeks. Soaking seeds in hot water (100°C) for 24 hours can improve germination. Cuttings: Can also be easily grown from truncheons (large branch cuttings) and semi-hardwood cuttings.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
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