Kirkia wilmsii autumn leaves

The autumn leaves conform to one colour from several options per tree. This turns a stand of summer green Kirkia wilmsii trees, wild pepper trees into discrete masses of yellow, orange, red or nameless shades of beauty in the fall.

The smaller branches are marked conspicuously with scars where leaves have dropped off.

The flowers appear in spring and summer in sprays of greenish white to cream. The small fruit capsule that follows is pale brown, appearing in summer, will eventually split open, revealing four valves joined at the apex (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.plantzafrica.com).