Vachellia xanthophloea

Vachellia xanthophloea, the fever tree or sulphur bark and previously Acacia xanthophloea in the world of botany, is a medium sized or tall tree (SA Tree List No. 189). Heights of 10 m to 15 m are common, while trees of 25 m do occur.

Fever trees grow in north-eastern South Africa in low-lying areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Large fever tree forests exist in Kenya and Tanzania in their usual habitat of riversides, lakes and on floodplains. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The common name of fever tree (in Afrikaans koorsboom), dates from the times when this tree, found in malaria endemic areas, became associated with the disease via a putative causal link. The role of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles was still unknown: where you see a fever tree, you contract malaria!

The pale green-yellow bark of bigger fever trees that flakes slightly and releases a fine powder when touched, very easily stirs irrational belief. The tree becoming the symbol of horror, too readily became target of suspicion: the culprit meting out dread disease in the region. Human superstition is quick to feed on the renowned suggestibility of the species. These two traits so often team up in the face of tragedy for epidemic spread of nonsense.

Later, when learning boosted logic, the beauty of these trees brought them into parks and gardens in many parts of the world. Wherever it is not too cold for them, they may thrive; malaria dealt with differently.

Incidentally, there are at least 460 species of Anopheles mosquitoes.  About 100 of them transmit parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Only some of those cause malaria in humans.

So, don’t be scared of your fever tree unless it is in the process of falling upon you! And mind the thorns (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Carr, 1976; http://redlist.sanbi.org).