Sekelbos/Sickle bush - Dichrostachys cinerea
- Indigenous to South Africa
- Sickle bush is widely spread across the northern parts of South Africa and is also found in many countries up in Africa. It is also found in countries such as India and Australia. In southern Africa it is very common in the warm and dry Savannas.
- Sickle bush is under no threat and is also found mostly in areas that are classified as of least concern conservation status.
- It can be seen as an encroacher in some areas where veld is managed poorly and overgrazing of pastures happen. Impenetrable thickets can be formed and can become a problem for veld managers.
- Sickle Bush is a nitrogen-fixing legume and can be used in soil conservation. It can colonize disturbed areas rapidly, which will help to resist further erosion.
- The pods are beneficial to various animals and are eaten by livestock and game such as rhinoceros. Monkeys and bushpigs also enjoy the taste of the pods.
- Uses of Sickle Bush other than exceptional firewood, is that it makes impressive bonsai specimens. The hard and durable wood is also used to make tool handles, milk pots and fibre from the bark and roots can be used for various medicines. It is often planted as live fencing and can serve as food for animals.
- Sickle Bush can be harvested sustainably as the trees coppice and can regrow after it has been cut down. It’s also easy to propagate from seed or suckers, and is resistant to frost, drought and fire.