isiXhosa: unGqeba

Afrikaans: Basterolyf, Bossalie, Withoutolienhout, Wildevlierboom

False olive


False olive

Buddleja saligna

Scientific name

Buddleja saligna is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing < 15 m in height with a trunk diameter of 40 cm, and very similar to Salix and Olea. The bark becomes longitudinally furrowed with age. The branchlets are quadrangular in section, and winged. The opposite, subcoriaceous narrowly elliptic to linear leaves vary considerably in size and shape, from 15 cm long by 3 cm wide. The upper surface of the leaf is medium to dark green, glabrous and smooth, while the underside is clothed in pale stellate hairs. The honey - scented flowers are cream or white, occasionally with a reddish orange throat, appearing as large terminal heads 12 cm in spring and summer; the corollas are 4 mm in length.

This plant is traditionally used for stomach complaints, coughs and colds, as well as for furniture and other wood products.

Also known as Bastard Olive

References and further reading

PlantZAfrica profile »

Wikipedia page »

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.
We currently have no seeds of this species in our seedbanks. Do you have any seeds or do you know where we can get some? Get in touch!
We currently have no plants of this species in our home nurseries. Do you have any plants or do you know where we can get some? Get in touch!

This table below shows how many plants we are trying to obtain for this species.

Site Area Quantity
Site #12 Delft 2
Site #15 Rosebank 3
Total 5

Important characteristics

Conservation status: Least Concern

This species was selected because it has various important characteristics.

It provides medicinal value

It is a pioneer species suitable for establishing the soil in bare areas

It can be used as a construction material

It provides food for:

Honeybees/flies

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