Zanthoxylum capense, commonly the small knobwood and previously scientifically Fagara capensis, is a small tree of 4 m to 7 m, only rarely reaching 10 m (SA Tree List No. 253).
The tree has several attractive features from a gardening perspective, such as appearance, size, being evergreen and resistance to temperature extremes as well as to drought. Beetles pollinate the flowers that are greenish-white, small and inconspicuous. It is, however, not easy to grow from seed.
The species distribution is along the South African eastern and southeastern coasts in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, as well as in the provinces north of the Vaal River and the Free State. The tree is also common in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and in the east of Lesotho. The photo was taken near Hekpoort in the Magaliesberg.
Its variable habitat includes open bushveld, rocky woodland and slopes at high altitude. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; The Tree Society of Southern Africa, 1974; http://redlist.sanbi.org).