Cussonia transvaalensis, the vaalkiepersol

The leaves of Cussonia transvaalensis are clustered in rounded rosettes at branch ends. The leaf petioles are sturdy and usually long, from 15 cm to 50 cm. The leaf is twice compounded into up to nine lanceolate primary leaflets with entire margins. Some of the leaflets are once or more times lobed, right to the midrib. Leaflet surfaces are blue-green to grey-green and leathery with prominent midribs.

The flowers of the vaalkiepersol or grey cabbage-tree grow in terminal double umbels of seven to eleven spikes. Each spike on a stalk of up to 6 cm is cylindrical, up to 15 cm long, 3 cm wide and densely covered in yellow-green florets. The fleshy fruits that follow are purple coloured conical drupes, about 1 cm in length.

Flowering happens in spring and summer (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).