A tree like the ones shown below has been growing next to our back gate ever since we arrived here over thirty years ago. During this time it has produced the odd purple flower and clusters of dark berries favoured both by birds as well as the odd passer-by – none of whom has been able to tell me what it is called.
After so many years of drought, I was taken aback to find it covered with blossoms that first appeared at the end of September and have continued through October and November.
This has proved to be so not only for the tree on our boundary, but the beautiful flowers indicated that there are a number of these shrubs in the veld below where we live as well as elsewhere in our local area.
The mass of flowers, ranging from light to dark, are beautiful to see.
Several of the bushes I photographed were covered with bees.
They also had plenty of buds waiting to open.
As we near the end of November, the clusters of berries have become more prominent.
None of the tree guides I have illustrate these beautiful blossoms – nor do the wild flower guides – and I have drawn a blank on the internet. A positive identification would be most welcome…
…THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED! Thanks to Dries at de Wets Wild we now know it is a Puzzle Bush or Deurmekaarbos. You can access interesting information about it at https://treesa.org/ehretia-rigida/
Something Over Tea 
It is really a beautiful tree! I wish I could help you identify it.
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This is the first season I have seen it bloom so prolifically.
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It is just amazing
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It is very beautiful, and such delicate blooms.
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I had no idea there were so many of these bushes around until they all burst into bloom.
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It certainly is beautiful.
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We are still enjoying their blooms and the birds are constant visitors in the one at our gate.
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It is a beautiful mystery. Maybe someone will solve it.
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I hope so!
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What ever it is it has a gorgeous color of bloom.
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This is the best season for these blooms that I have experienced here.
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So pretty!
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I simply had to share these lovely coloured blossoms.
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It’s a Jacaranda I believe.
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The flowers of the jacaranda are tubular, so that’s not it…
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Gretchen is right, the jacaranda has tubular flowers. Those trees grow tall and have been popular street trees in this country for years. They are coming into bloom here now, so I should feature their blossoms soon. Thank you for trying.
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The jarcaranda is the only Australian tree I remember. It’s so beautiful.
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That is a beauty… nothing like a good mystery! Do you think it is native or perhaps imported and spread by birds? I wonder if Carol would know? email naturebackin@mweb.co.za She’s up at Kruger until Dec. 9 however.
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Carol would be a good source. Perhaps she will see this on her return. Meanwhile, I am enjoying my beautiful mystery.
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I will hazard that it is the Puzzle Bush, Anne. Deurmekaarbos in Afrikaans, or Ehretia rigida. If not that, then perhaps a closely related species.
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http://pza.sanbi.org/ehretia-rigida
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Dries, thank you very much for this signpost to a possible solution. I glanced at the Puzzle Bush in my search and was put off by the red berries. Perhaps the photograph on that site exaggerates their size. The leaves look similar as well as the colour of the flowers, although the latter seem less clustered than ‘mine’ do. I will take a closer look to see if I can see any red berries. I appreciate you going to the effort of helping to identify this beautiful plant.
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I have been out and you are absolutely right, Dries. This site provides more detailed information that confirms your identification: https://treesa.org/ehretia-rigida/ Thank you so much!!!!
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Glad I could help, Anne!
Identifying trees can be frustrating and rewarding in equal measures.
I’ve recently been trying to re-sharpen my skills in this area by taking my tree book along to places where the trees are marked / numbered, so that I can stand next to the tree and tick the key ID features mentioned in the book. I can’t tell you how many times those silly trees do not fit with their description in the book… Time they start reading! 😉
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I pointed my Seek app at the luscious pictures and it came up cold. What a wonderful tree to have in the landscape.
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When I find the answer I will add it as a post script to this post 🙂
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And, as you will see, the mystery HAS been solved.
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What a beauty Anne! Please may I use a photograph for a future painting?
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You may with pleasure, Carol. I look forward to seeing a photograph of your completed painting in time. I have a few other close-up photographs if you would like me to send them on.
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Ai, ek is tog so lief vir hierdie sagte pers, Anne.
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Hierdie blomme is seker die mooiste wat ek hulle al gesien het. Daar is sagte pers oral in die veld hier.
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Deurmekaarbos. Love the Afrikaans name. Thank you for exploring your world and allowing us to see through your eyes. We have an amazing treasure of fauna and flora.
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When I was young people didn’t seem to look twice at our local flora. I became interested in it once I started hiking in the Drakensberg as a student. Now I feel I have a huge backlog to catch up on! I am pleased you enjoy my ‘discoveries’ too.
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“hanks to Dries at de Wets Wild we now know it is a Puzzle Bush” – how aptly named!
✨🙏🕉🌱🌿🌳🌻💚🕊☯🐉✨
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Well, it certainly provided me with a puzzle 🙂
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A delightful bush which must have known the rain was coming
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Animals, birds and plants – insects too – are far more attuned to our environment than we are, despite our so-called sophistication 🙂
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Indeed
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What a lovely surprise for you. I am glad that you got a reliable identification.
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I am thrilled with the identification – the many blossoms this season have brought these trees to my attention.
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Very pretty – you put it out there and got your answer. The blogging community is special indeed.
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I have learned a lot from fellow bloggers and am very pleased to be able to put a name to these pretty flowers.
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I have learned a lot from fellow bloggers as well Anne and today I learned it was a chives plant that the butterfly alighted on. I didn’t know that.
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Oh it’s beautiful. Love the colors
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The different shades of purple are lovely to see together on these bushes.
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