Sickle Bush Dichrostachys cinerea

• They can be found in bushveld areas on a variety of soils found from Ethiopia to Kwazulu-Natal.
• On over grazed soils they can become invasive, forming impenetrable thickets.
• They can also be found in Australia, Burma and India.
• The bark is dark grey to brown in colour.
• Their flowers are very striking and hang like small lanterns.
• The upper part of the flower is pink and sterile, while the yellow lower half is bisexual.
• The flowers are produced between October to Febuary.
• The pods are distinctive growing in curled clusters and are found between May to September.
• Giraffe, buffalo, kudu, impala and Nyala eat the pods.
• The roots may be chewed and placed on snake bite and scorpion stings.
• The leaves are said to be useful as local anaesthetics and are used for snakebite, scorpion sting and in treatment of toothache and sore eyes.
• The wood is hard and useful as tool handles but due to the size of the tree use is limited.