INTRODUCTION

The wood of Protea nitida was used in the old days to make wheel rims and brake blocks for wagons, earning it the name waboom, or wagon tree. Today, we simply enjoy the beauty of its blue-silver leaves.

From autumn to spring, the flowers brighten our drives along Clarence Drive. Hiking on the mountain slopes above Rooiels, we always stop to take photographs of the large, greenish-white flower heads.

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT

Protea nitida has a widespread distribution, ranging from the Bokkeveld Escarpment and Cape Peninsula to the Winterhoek Mountains in the Eastern Cape. It occurs from sea level to about 1,200 m above sea level.

Locally, you can see it all the way from Gordon's Bay to Kleinmond, growing on the mountain slopes on both sides of the road.

ECOLOGY & FIRE SURVIVAL

The trunks of mature trees are protected by a thick layer of bark, helping them survive fynbos fires.

Younger trees may be killed by fire but can resprout from an underground bole. The seeds remain stored in the flower heads until they are dry, when the heads release them and the seeds are dispersed by the wind.

When photographing these flowers, one is enchanted by the many insects visiting them—and the birds, of course.

SIGNS OF LEOPARDS

When passing a waboom, take a close look at its trunk. You might find scratch marks left by a leopard—rather like a domestic cat scratching against a scratching post.

TRADITIONAL USES

Protea nitida is unusual among proteas in having wood suitable for making furniture. Its wood also made excellent charcoal, which gave rise to the Afrikaans name brandhout.

The bark was used for tanning leather, while the leaves were used to make ink. They were also used to prepare a tea traditionally believed to help with various ailments.

CONSERVATION STATUS

In the past, Protea nitida was heavily harvested for its useful wood, bark and leaves. About 20,000 trees were chopped down annually by the latter part of the 19th century for traditional use.
(SASOL Proteas – A Field Guide to the Proteas of Southern Africa.)

Fortunately, we no longer depend on the waboom for these traditional uses, and its conservation status is Least Concern.

Today, the value of Protea nitida lies in its magnificent presence on the mountain slopes and along the R44 as it winds along the Kogelberg.