International Plant Appreciation Day is held on 13 April every year as a platform to highlight the importance of plants. This year, CapeNature is highlighting the special attributes of plants and the unique climate of the Western Cape to encourage the public to plant indigenous trees and other plant species at the right time of the year.

Understanding the climate is key to ensuring successful planting. The Western Cape’s topography and climate are extremely diverse, with most of the province considered to have a typical Mediterranean climate that includes mild, wet winters and dry, warm summers. This differs from the rest of South Africa, which mostly sees rain during the summer months. For this reason, planting in the Western Cape is encouraged in the cooler, wetter months.

The Western Cape has two biodiversity hotspots found within its borders. Firstly, the Cape Floristic Region has over 9 600 plant species even though it is the smallest in size of the world’s six floral kingdoms. Over half of the plant species found here are endemic to this area. Secondly, the Succulent Karoo, which is one of only two arid hotspots in the world, boasts animals and plants that are incredibly distinct and more than 40% of the 6 300 species are endemic to the area.

Dr Razeena Omar, CEO of CapeNature believes residents of the Western Cape are very fortunate to live amongst such rich biodiversity: “The Cape Floral Region houses the planet’s largest concentration of flora species per square kilometre. Given the extensive loss of biodiversity in the present time, it is important that everyone contributes to the conservation of the wealth of floral species, in whichever way possible. One way of making a small contribution to plant conservation is by planting indigenous species in your garden. Indigenous vegetation is adapted to the local climate conditions and therefore needs much less water, which also contributes to reduced water consumption.”

Gardeners are encouraged to always seek expert advice, because even over short distances, soil and other factors may vary extensively which in turn will affect what should be planted and when. Inland, extreme heat and cold can be common, while on the coast this is not the case. Summer thunderstorms and frost are rare across most of the province but do occur in the Karoo. Mountainous areas may experience snow.

Indigenous plants are always the best choice because they have evolved to adapt to the local environment and perfectly fit into the local ecosystem. Not only are indigenous plants adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the areas where they are naturally found, but they generally also need very little additional water. Invasive plant species should be avoided at all costs.

Let us recognise and celebrate the role of plants in our lives on this special day. They provide oxygen, raw materials, medicine, food, beautify the environment and are an important link in the ecosystem. CapeNature encourages the planting of trees and other indigenous plants on this Plant Appreciation Day.