Plant Information

Common Name: TINDERWOOD, TONTELHOUT
Scientific Name: Clerodendron glabrum
Alternative Names: Moswaapeba (So), Munukha-tshilongwe (Ve), Umqwaqwanam (Xho), UmQoqonga (Zu), Xinhunwelambeva (Tswa), Mohlokohloko (N.So).

N/A

R100.00

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Description

• Perennial
• Tinderwood (SA Tree No: 667) is widely distributed in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.
• It is a neat, large shrub or small decorative tree with a curved or rounded crown of dark, lustrous green foliage, and attractively drooping branches.
• The tree produces masses of dainty and elegant flowerheads that last for many months and are a magnet for butterflies.
• It has a non-aggressive root system and can easily be trimmed to maintain a small shape.
• Tinderwood will do well in large containers or in small and informal gardens.
• They are tolerant of high temperatures as well as the strong and salt-laden winds of the coast.
• It is suitable as a bonsai subject and can be used as a windbreak, hedge, or screen.
• Periods of drought can be endured, and young and unestablished plants should be well sheltered for at least the first 3-4 years.

Parts Used

• The leaves and wood.

Medicinal Uses. It is said that

• Decoctions of leaves are used for treating coughs, colds, prolapse, wounds, sore throat, colic, and diarrhoea.
• Extracts from the leaves, bark and roots have been shown to containing numerous antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and tranquilising compounds.
• The bark, and occasionally also the leaves, is used as a dewormed and to protect against parasites.

Other Uses

• If one crushes leaves and rubs them on hands and face when collecting honey, the smell of the leaves repels the bees from attacking.
• A blue-grey dye can be extracted from the fruits, and the wood has traditionally been used as tinder to start fires.
• The pale brown to whitish timber is suitable for carvings, tools, poles, and small furniture items, and is often used by local people to construct their huts.

The information contained within this website is for educational purposes only. This site merely recounts the traditional uses of specific plants as recorded through history. Always seek advice from a medical practitioner.

Mountain Herb Estate, and its representatives will not be held responsible for the improper use of any plants or documentation provided. By use of this site and the information contained herein you agree to hold harmless Mountain Herb Estate, its affiliates and staff