Phylica buxifolia new leaves

Phylica buxifolia, in Afrikaans commonly the bukshardeblaar (bux hard leaf) has attractive, dense foliage.

The picture taken in Kirstenbosch during March shows young leaf growth on hairy shoots. The petioles are short, the leaf-tips taper and the margins are rolled under. The green upper leaf surfaces are rough while the lower ones are pale, almost white.

The flowers appear in autumn and winter. They grow in axillary and terminal flowerheads with leaf-like bracts around the small white flowers. By spring the square-tipped, hairy fruit capsules are on the trees. P. buxifolia is normally grown from seed.

A majority of the Phylica species are found in the Western Cape fynbos. Very few of them reach tree-like proportions (Coates Palgrave, 2002).