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Fabaceae FAMILY

Virgilia oroboides

Virgilia oroboides

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthFast

Virgilia oroboides is not very cold-hardy. Native to the warm mediterranean climate of southern S. Africa it can only tolerate short periods of moderate frost, and young plants will be severely damaged or killed even by light frosts[1, 2]. Requires a position in full sun to semi-shade, growing best in a light, well-drained soil[2]. Found in the wild on acidic sandstone and clay soils[1]. A fast-growing tree, especially when young. Trees can be 130cm tall within 12 months and attain full height in only a few years[2]. The trees are also short-lived, however, their average lifespan ranging from 12 - 20 years[2]. The tree has a shallow, spreading root system, which does not provide good anchorage[3]. The flowers are sweetly scented[2]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[3].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and benefits from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in trays in a greenhouse in autumn or spring, in well-drained soil at a depth of 0.5 - 1 cm and covered with the sowing medium or milled bark and then watered. Pot up as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough (which is usually within a few weeks)[2] Stratified seed can also be sown in situ in warm climates[2]. The seeds are highly fertile and can remain alive in the soil for many years after they have fallen, even after as many as 30 years they will germinate if conditions are favourable[2]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Virgilia+oroboides>

Pollinators

Bees, Sunbirds, Insects

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
  3. [3]The Leguminosae; A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses and Nodulation — Allen O.N.; Allen E.K. · University of Wisconsin · 1981 · ISBN 0-333-32221-5 ↩︎An amazing and comprehensive work, giving a brief guide to the many genera of the family Fabaceae and also the principle uses of the genus.
  4. [4]A revision of the genus Virgilia (Fabaceae) — B.-E. van Wyk · 1986 ↩︎
  5. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎