Cape Town's Vegetation

The Cape Peninsula is famous for being the smallest and richest of the world's six floral kingdoms. Fynbos, the main vegetation type, comprises over 9 000 plant species - an enormous number for such a small area (and 70% of them are indigenous to the Cape). The region has not surprisingly been identified as one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots.

Now that's quite a lot to live up to, but spend some time out in nature and you'll see what all the fuss is about. Fynbos - a mix of mainly proteas, ericas (heaths) and restios (reed-type plants) - is attractive, hardy, ingenious and interesting in a useful kind of way (kind of what we look for in a partner).

There are endless uses for the thousands of species from the traditional South African rooibos plant that produces rooibos (redbush) tea, to the strong smelling medicinal buchu plant.

In spring the fynbos turns psychedelic as plants compete with each for pollinating insects' attention. The result is a magnificent flower display throughout the Western and Northern Cape.

The indigenous plant species however, are under attack by alien vegetation species planted many years ago by settlers with good intentions.

Today the main battle is between 'fynbos lovers' and tree lovers who are resisting the cutting down of large shady forests to make way for indigenous fynbos. Other concerns such as over-development of sensitive regions also exist.

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