QUIVER TREE

Scientific name: Dichotomum Aloidendron

Common name: Quiver tree

The dynamics of trees remain a continuous journey of exploration to both scientists and laypersons. Contrary to what we know, trees are often perceived to be more valuable when they bear edible fruits. While some trees do not bear fruits at all, they often provide services to the ecosystem that are of cultural, spiritual or economic importance. With their iconic appearance, quiver trees are of economic importance to Namibia, especially when there is more than just a few in sight.

Stretching from the south and extending to the upper coastal part of the country, the quiver tree’s resilience is visible with its single, grey stem that can have a diameter of up to one metre. It can grow as tall as nine metres, but on average it reaches a height of five metres. The quiver tree has a smooth, grey bark which turns pale yellow and eventually peels off in segments as it ages. Younger trees therefore have smoother barks than older trees. Their leaves are simple, with oblong boat-shaped blades that can grow up to a length of 350 mm and a width of 50 mm. The leaves range from greyish green to brownish green in colour and have a rosette arrangement on the branches. Flowering of the quiver trees occurs from April to June – occasionally, some trees flower until December. The flowers are golden yellow tubules and eventually develop into capsules measuring an average length of 30 mm.

With its arid climate, southern Namibia is home to most of the quiver trees and the farm Gariganus, situated about 14 km from Keetmanshoop, is known for its Quiver Tree Forest, where an exceptional number of trees are on display. While the south is known to host the highest population of quiver trees, the Brandberg area is also known to have some rather large specimens. It is their ability to grow in harsh environments such as rocky spaces with minimal soil, as well as surviving on an average of less than 150 ml of rain per year, which is testament to their profound resilience.

I only became familiar with trees from the savannah ecosystem when I moved to the south. The quiver tree was the first tree I noticed, as we had one right in front of our house. It took a while to understand how this tree was growing on a mountain with so little soil. This was the very first time I saw a succulent tree, and in a garden which had a variety of fruit trees, it was clear that the quiver tree required minimal water compared to the other trees. Later, I would learn about plant characteristics in our natural science class. To summarise it in layman’s terms, plants have unique features allowing them to survive their natural environment. Every shape, texture or scent of a plant has an adaptation purpose. Different ecosystems have plants with distinct features that make them suitable for the environmental conditions that prevail in that particular ecosystem.

The advocacy I strive for is that we should not just know where these trees are found or what their characteristics and uses are, but we also need to ensure that the future generations can see these species for themselves. In fact, a beautiful story is unfolding in the desert ecosystem, where Gondwana has created a quiver tree nursery. It is an incredible team effort to ensure that the tourism industry keeps its quiver tree forests in existence for future visitors to our country. It starts with collecting the capsules (sometimes with the help of ladders to reach them), sowing the seeds in the nursery and tending to the seedlings. But it does not just end there – these seedlings are then planted in the wild where it is mapped to be. Even if you are unable to be part of the physical planting process, you can still adopt a quiver tree by paying a contribution to support the efforts on the ground. The coordinates will be provided to you and you can name your tree. This is a sophisticated conservation effort where it becomes tangibly evident that today’s seedlings are indeed tomorrow’s forests.

Agnes Shekupe Shivute