Schotia afra

The higher the human population density becomes, the smaller the average garden will be.

Schotia afra, the Karoo boer-bean, is one of those rewarding small, evergreen trees that some latter-day gardeners can still consider: It has a benign root system that won't attack walls and foundations much. At mature size it is still suitable, heights of 5 m are not reached often.

The tree's attractions, red flowers in abundance and decorative foliage convincing. The showy panicles of red flowers appear in spring, followed by woody pods containing the discoid seeds. Birds and insects check it in season for food. The tree does not mess much.

This specimen growing in the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is var. afra, showing the pinnate leaves, but the flowers are gone as the photo was taken in January. After rain or with a little watering it would turn greener (Coates Palgrave, 2002; iNaturalist).