Guest : Elzanne Singels | Department of Archaeology PhD Candidate Department of

Archaeology, University of Cape Town at University of Cape Town |

Right now, the cute indigenous succulent plant, Spekboom (aka Portulacaria afra) is a

darling of the local and international media. It grows easily and is drought tolerant.

People are planting it all over the place because of its apparently unsurpassed ability

to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. “Accept the #spekboomchallenge:

plant a spekboom and do your part to fight climate change” is the chorus on social

media.

It’s easy – just pick a cutting, put it in the ground, add some water and, hey presto, you

have a brand-new baby spekboom. Big planting plans are being made by city councils,

businesses, schools and NGOs.