The Magnificent Quiver Tree

“The Last Breath Of The Kokerboom”

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Aloe dichotoma is a species of aloe native to southern Africa. It is also known as The quiver tree or kokerboom.

The name "quiver tree, refers to the San people’s (the oldest African tribe in southern Africa) use of its hollowed branches to make quivers for their arrows. The quiver tree is a very large species of aloe and can only be found in southern Africa. The tree is found in very dry habitats in Namibia and South Africa. The quiver tree is a large species of aloe that can only be found in southern Africa. The tree is found in Namibia and South Africa in very dry habitats.

The Quiver tree's thick, succulent leaves grow in a rosette up to 6 meters tall to escape the worst of the devastating heat. To keep cool, the branches are thickly coated in a fine white powder that reflects the sun's heat rather than absorbing it. The soft, fibrous tissue trunk of the aloe tree can store great quantities of water, allowing it to survive frequent droughts and extreme heat. The giant quiver tree is the most endangered of South Africa's three quiver tree species. It is found in a narrow band, with its southernmost range well above the Tropic of Capricorn. Their numbers have steadily declined as a result of plant collectors and climatic conditions that have hampered seedling growth. 

Author Peter Delaney