Region 11 · Africa · Aw / BSh / Csa
Horticulture in Africa: Savanna, Highlands & Cape
The continent spans summer-rain savanna, cool highlands and the winter-rain Cape; fire, grazing and water define the palette. Indigenous plants and water-wise design are the region's professional strength.
ClimateTropical savanna, highland and Mediterranean Cape (Aw / BSh / Csa)
USDA zones9–12
Growing seasonOctober to April (summer rain); Cape winter rain
RainfallSummer rain in most of the region; winter rain at the Cape
SoilsSandy and lateritic, leached; Cape sands acidic
Frost riskGrowthRainfall
The climate, read as a season
Peak growth falls in Jan, Feb, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec; dormancy in no true dormancy. Hard frost is confined to no hard-frost months, and the driest months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Those three patterns decide the planting calendar more than the annual average temperature.
| Season | Conditions | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Sep · Oct · Nov | Peak growth drier spell · frost-free | The main planting and sowing window. |
| Summer Jan · Feb · Dec | Peak growth steady rain · frost-free | The main planting and sowing window. |
| Autumn Mar · Apr · May | Slow growth drier spell · light frost | Maintain, harvest and prepare the next season. |
| Winter Jun · Jul · Aug | Active growth dry season · light frost | Irrigate and mulch; avoid new planting without water. |
What the climate demands
- Fire is a management tool and a risk: fynbos needs fire to regenerate, but not near structures.
- The Cape's winter rain and the savanna's summer rain support different floras; one planting plan cannot serve both.
- Phosphorus-sensitive proteoids and poor sandy soils mean low-phosphorus fertiliser and no rich compost at the Cape.
Signature flora
| Plant | Role | Why it is used here |
|---|---|---|
| Camel thorn Vachellia erioloba | TreeNativeWater-wise | Deep roots; savanna. |
| Baobab Adansonia digitata | TreeNativeWater-wise | Drought; slow; frost-tender when young. |
| Faidherbia Faidherbia albida | TreeNative | Reverse phenology; agroforestry. |
| Combretum Combretum | TreeNative | Savanna; bird habitat. |
| Marula Sclerocarya birrea | TreeFruitNative | Savanna; fruit. |
| Moringa Moringa oleifera | TreeVegetableEasy to propagate | Fast; edible leaves. |
| King protea Protea cynaroides | ShrubCut flowerNative | Cape fynbos; acid sand; fire. |
| Leucadendron Leucadendron | ShrubCut flowerNative | Fynbos; phosphorus-sensitive. |
| Pincushion Leucospermum | ShrubCut flowerNative | Fynbos; drainage. |
| Cape heath Erica | ShrubNativeWater-wise | Acid sand; fynbos. |
| Restio Restio | GrassNativeWetland | Fynbos restio; drainage. |
| Buchu Agathosma | ShrubHerbNative | Fynbos; aromatic. |
| Pelargonium Pelargonium | PerennialCut flowerNative | Cape; dry summer. |
| Clivia Clivia | PerennialIndoorNative | Shade; dry winter. |
| Red hot poker Kniphofia | PerennialCut flowerNative | Grassland; birds. |
| Aloe Aloe | SucculentWater-wiseNative | Winter flowers; nectar. |
| Cycad Encephalartos | ConiferShrubNative | Protected; slow; collector pressure. |
| Sorghum Sorghum bicolor | VegetableAnnual | Drought; grain. |
| Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum | VegetableAnnual | Sahel; drought. |
| Maize Zea mays | VegetableAnnual | Rain-fed; staple. |
| Cassava Manihot esculenta | Root cropVegetableEasy to propagate | Drought; process to remove cyanogens. |
| Coffee Coffea arabica | ShrubFruit | Ethiopian highlands; shade. |
| Tea Camellia sinensis | Shrub | Kenya highlands; acid. |
| Banana Musa | PerennialFruitEasy to propagate | Subtropical; irrigation. |
| Citrus Citrus | FruitTree | Irrigation; frost pockets. |
| Grape Vitis vinifera | VineFruit | Cape winelands; dry summer. |
| Olive Olea europaea | TreeFruitWater-wise | Cape; Mediterranean. |
| Bermudagrass Cynodon dactylon | Turf | Warm-season; sports. |
| Kikuyu Pennisetum clandestinum | Turf | Pasture and lawn; invasive. |
The eight disciplines here
| Discipline | What it looks like here | Taxa | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Design 01 | Palette and practice for garden design in this climate. | 21 | Discipline guide |
| Floriculture 02 | Palette and practice for floriculture in this climate. | 9 | Discipline guide |
| Vegetables & Herbs 03 | Palette and practice for vegetables & herbs in this climate. | 6 | Discipline guide |
| Fruit & Viticulture 04 | Palette and practice for fruit & viticulture in this climate. | 6 | Discipline guide |
| Arboriculture 05 | Palette and practice for arboriculture in this climate. | 9 | Discipline guide |
| Turfgrass 06 | Palette and practice for turfgrass in this climate. | 2 | Discipline guide |
| Nursery & Propagation 07 | Palette and practice for nursery & propagation in this climate. | 22 | Discipline guide |
| Water-wise & Restoration 08 | Palette and practice for water-wise & restoration in this climate. | 17 | Discipline guide |
Professional bodies and standards
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) · South African Nursery Association (SANA) · CIFOR-ICRAF
Design idiom
Indigenous garden, Kirstenbosch, water-wise.
Sources
Other regions
Middle East · South Asia · Southeast Asia · East Asia · all 16 regions