Leucosidea sericea

Oldwood, Ouhout

Leucosidea Sericea (Oldwood, Ouhout) is a very cold-hardy, evergreen small tree that can tolerate lots of water but also the drought of the dry season. It usually grows to 4-6 by 4-6 m, but can reach as much as 10 m. The crown is dense and rounded, making it suitable for screening and hedging.

Often multi-stemmed, it can be pruned to form a single-stemmed tree. The stems are twisted and gnarled and the bark peels away from the stem in dramatic fashion, giving the tree an aged and charming appearance.

It has attractive silvery to grey-green compound leaves with serrated leaflets. The small green-yellow flowers are borne in profusion on upright spikes at the ends of the branches, which makes the tree look as though it is covered in candles.  Plant Leucosidea Sericea in well-composted soil with added bone-meal.