Galpinia transvaalica (Wild Pride of India)

Galpinia transvaalica is fast gaining popularity as a valuable and adaptable evergreen ornamental tree. Although this tree is naturally multi stemmed it can easily be turned into a single stemmed specimen with careful pruning. The highly decorative Wild Pride of India has an attractive rounded crown and produces an ever changing and colourful palette for much of the year as the older leaves turn bright crimson in spring before they fall, followed by the spectacular trusses of white flowers in summer and the clusters of bold red fruits in autumn. The lovely flowers attract hosts of insects which in turn attract a variety of insectivorous birds to the garden.

 

TREE DETAILS
Botanical Name	Galpinia transvaalica
Common Name	Wild Pride of India
Genus	Lythraceae
RSA National Tree No’	523
LANDSCAPING USES
The Wild Pride of India is a beautiful addition to any garden but lends itself particularly well to the smaller or townhouse garden. The non-invasive root system makes it perfect for poolside planting or for any paved or restricted area. This fast growing, showy tree makes a lovely shade tree but can be very successfully pruned or trained into a hedge to form an attractive and colorful wind break, to create privacy or to screen unsightly walls or buildings or, as a beautiful evergreen backdrop to other plants. Where space permits, Wild Pride of India looks stunning when planted in groups of 5 or more. The small root system makes Galpinia transvaalica an excellent subject for large pots on patios and paved areas and is much sought after by bonsai enthusiasts.
TREE SPECIFICATIONS
Height	6 – 9m
Spread	4 - 6 m
Deciduous/Evergreen	Evergreen
Growth Habit	Galpinia transvaalica occurs naturally at medium to low altitudes, mostly in  rocky areas of bushveld and woodland.
Bark	The bark is pale and attractive with a smooth texture on young trees becoming darker and cracking into blocks on older trees.
Foliage	The opposite, leaves have conspicuously wavy margins and are glossy dark green on top and a dull, pale green below with thick set petioles. In spring the new growth is tinged a coppery pink shade while the older leaves turn a striking deep crimson before dropping.
Flowers	Striking, dense, white to cream terminal and axillary flower sprays appear from November to May. Each flower has a bell shaped calyx and attractively crinkled petals.
Fruit	The pink to reddish fruit appears in compact clusters from April to July. Each fruit consists of a 3-4mm round capsule with a hard skin that splits open when mature.
Seed	The small winged seeds are brownish.
GROWING REQUIREMENTS
Growing regions	The Wild Pride of India is found from Kwa Zulu Natal through Swaziland and up to Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Growing conditions	These lovely trees prefer a sunny position and although they are not fussy about soil, will do well if given a generous application of compost and organic fertiliser in spring.
Best season	All year
Hardiness	Galpinia transvaalica will tolerate light frost as well as drought conditions.
Propagation	The seeds should be sown in a light soil mix in seed trays and transplanted into individual bags when 2 pairs of leaves have appeared.
Growth rate	These trees are fast growing and will grow up to a metre in a year.
INTERESTING FEATURES
The hard, heavy wood of Galpinia transvaalica is fine grained and pale brown to yellowish brown. This wood is much sought after for turnery as well as the manufacture of fine furniture and decorative household items. This is an important fodder plant on game farms and cattle farms.

           G. transvaalica Flowers                   G. transvaalica Foliage                   G. transvaalica Bark