Medicinal Plants Used in the Western Cape
Discover the plants that have supported healing, wellbeing and traditional knowledge for generations.
The Cape Floral Region (2007) by Chris Eason, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
The Cape Floral Region
The Cape Floral Region – stretching from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape - is a biodiversity hotspot that contains an incredible richness of plants, many of which grow nowhere else on earth. The diverse plant and animal life here remains a source of traditional medicine as has been the practice for centuries. Unless this World Heritage site - and the other natural habitats of medicinal plants - are adequately protected, much of the indigenous knowledge contained in traditional healing could be lost forever.
Aloe, Cederberg by Tony ManhireDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Bitter or Cape Aloe
Aloe ferox or Koreb (Khoekhoegowab); red aloe (Eng.); bitteraalwyn, bergaalwyn, Kaapse aalwyn, tapaalwyn (Afr.); iKhala (Xh.); iNhlaba (Zulu) is an indigenous plant best known for its long history of multi-purpose medicinal use.
Local people traditionally drink its bitter juice as a purgative for internal cleansing. Fresh leaves are split or crushed and applied directly to open wounds, sores, burns, various skin conditions, and ulcers for its wound healing properties. Aloe leaves are also used to treat sores and injuries in livestock.
Bitter or Cape Aloe (2016) by Bernard Dupont, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Bitter or Cape Aloe
It was adopted by Dutch colonists and later incorporated into Western remedies like the digestives “Lewensessens and “Schwedenbitters”. Colonists also used it as a treatment for upset stomachs, dysentery, and constipation. In areas, like the Gouritz River region, aloe juice has been harvested as a renewable resource for more than two centuries. Its dried form, known as Cape aloes or aloe lump, has been exported to Europe since the late 18th century.
Many contemporary health products contain Aloe ferox, including ointments, laxatives, tonics, immune boosters, as well as treatments for heartburn, indigestion, colic, arthritis, and sunburn.
Kanna
Sceletium tortuosum or the Kanna (Khoekhoegowab) succulent or kougoed (Afr.) has long been used as a traditional medicine by the San and Khoekhoen. It is chewed to treat toothache, stomachache, and colic. It also quenches thirst and assists healers to reach trance.
It is currently used for its calming effects and stress relief while being studied as a treatment for psychological and psychiatric disorders, including clinical anxiety and depression.
Buchu (2018) by Magriet BDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Buchu
Agathosma betulina and Agathosma crenulata or buchu (Khoe & Eng.); boegoe (Afr.); ibuchu (Xh.) is an integral part of San and Khoekhoe culture. Powdered buchu, stored in tortoise shell containers, was valued for its potent healing properties. It was mixed with sheep fat to use for massage and to treat both physical and spiritual ailments.
Dutch colonists adopted its indigenous use as a treatment for stomach problems and made buchu brandy for this purpose. Buchu became an early export to Europe where it was used for a variety of medicinal purposes. It remains a popular and common household remedy and is used to treat rheumatism, colds, and pre-menstrual symptoms to name but a few of its current traditional medicinal uses.
Traditional buchu harvesting
Traditional buchu pickers built and used ladders to reach these plants where they grew wild in remote mountainous places.
Imphepho (2017) by Kirstenbosch National Botanical GardenDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Imphepho
Helichrysum species or everlastings (Eng.); kooigoed (Afr.); imphepho, phefu, isicwe (Xh. & Zulu) are used to treat fevers, headaches, menstrual cramps, coughs, colds, sprains, backache, as well as heart, bladder, and kidney ailments. It is also used to dress infected sores and as a traditional dressing after circumcision.
Imphepho (2018) by Mavis SmalbergDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Imphepho is burned as ritual incense to invoke the goodwill of the ancestors. Some species were used as traditional bedding as their fragrance effectively repels insects and parasites.
“We burnt the imphepho to release certain compounds so we best can commune with the ancestors, quietening the mind so we can access the universal knowledge. We drink imphepho tea for blood related illness,” Ferdill Filander, ‘bossiedokter’ (‘bush doctor’ or traditional healer, as quoted by Kgara Kevin Rack).
Honeybush
Cylopia genistoides or heuningbos (Afr.) is used to promote general wellbeing, as an appetite stimulant, to aid weak digestion, for its positive effects on the urinary system, and to stimulate breastfeeding mothers’ milk flow. It is also used to alleviate nausea and heartburn.
Sour Fig (2013) by Gaspar AlvesDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Sour Fig
Carpobrotus edulis or Cape fig (Eng.); ghoenavy, ghaukum (Khoe); Suurvy, perdevy, vyerank (Afr.) ikhambi-lamaulawa, umgongozi (Zulu) is used to treat mouth and throat infections, cold sores, digestive ailments, ringworm, tuberculosis, toothache, earache, thrush, eczema, wounds, burns, skin and eye infections, bluebottle stings, sunburn, and nappy rash.
The Khoekhoen believed that drinking an infusion of sour fig fruits while pregnant would ensure an easy birth and healthy baby. The newborn baby’s head would be smeared with its leaf sap to make it strong and nimble. Xhosa traditional healers use the sour fig plant to treat diphtheria and diabetes.
Wild Dagga
Leonotis leonurus or wildedagga or rooidagga (Afr.); umfincafincane (Xh.); umunyane (Zulu) is used to treat snakebite and insect stings or bites, various skin conditions, muscle cramps, epilepsy, colds and respiratory ailments, sinus conditions, stomachaches, cold sores, high blood pressure and headaches.
Isicakathi (2017) by Luc RamsdenDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Isicakathi
Agapanthus africanus or African or blue lily (Eng.); agapant or bloulelie (Afr.); isicakathi (Xh.); ubani (Zulu) has many traditional pre- and post-natal uses to ensure the wellbeing of new mothers and babies. Its other uses include ritual emetics, treating coughs, chest infections and heart conditions as well as promoting healthy kidney function.
Umckaloabo
Pelargonium reniforme or kidney-leaved pelargonium (Eng.); rooirabas (Afr.); iyeza lesikhali, ikubalo, umsongelo (Xh.) is used in treating bronchitis, dysentery, and various stomach ailments. Generations of San and Khoekhoe descendants as well as Xhosa traditional healers have used the bitter tasting root of this plant in traditional medicines to treat the above ailments and to promote healthy liver function.
Dagga (2017) by Luc RamsdenDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Dagga
Cannabis sativa or dãxas (Khoe); marijuana (Eng.); dagga (Afr.); umva (Xh.) has long been used by traditional healers for both its healing and hallucinogenic properties (during rituals). Its uses include treating headaches and migraines, flu, bronchitis, asthma, coughs, epilepsy, and pain.
Some current uses of medicinal dagga include the treatment of nausea from chemotherapy, glaucoma, muscular spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, and as an appetite stimulant for patients with HIV/Aids, cancer, and anorexia.
Poison Bulb (2010) by Alexey YakovlevDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Poison Bulb
Boophane disticha or gifbol (Afr.); incwadi (Xh.) is used in treating rashes, wounds (including circumcision wounds), burns, swellings, bruises, sprains, rheumatism, dizziness, vertigo, and constipation.
Wild Garlic (2007) by Chi KingDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Wild Garlic
Tulbachia violacea or wilde knoffel (Afr.); isihaqa (Zulu) is used in treating fever, asthma, constipation, colds, tuberculosis, stomach ailments, rheumatism, colic, and restlessness in young children. It is traditionally planted as a snake repellent and its leaves are eaten as a vegetable.
Hoodia (2005) by Winifried BruenkenDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Hoodia
Hoodia gordonii or khobab (Khoe); bitter ghaap (Eng.); bitterghaap, bergghaap, bobbejaanghaap (Afr.) is used to treat stomach pain, eye infections. The San and Khoekhoen traditionally used it to quench thirst and suppress hunger.
Khobab’s appetite suppressant properties have led to its commercialisation and the production of various Western slimming products containing Hoodia. This resulted in campaigns by the San for their economic compensation, and the recognition of their indigenous knowledge regarding its use.
Cancer Bush
Lessertia frutescens or kankerbos (Afr.); umnwele (Xh. & Zulu) is used in traditional treatments for a wide variety of ailments, including cancer and mental as well as emotional stress. It is also used as an immune booster.
Threats to Medicinal Plants (2015) by Abu ShawkaDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Threats to medicinal plants
Threats to indigenous traditional medicine include habitat destruction through environmentally insensitive development, climate change, and over-harvesting. There are various formal and informal conservation efforts to counter this, including traditional healers teaching others their knowledge of how to harvest medicinal plants sustainably.
Indigenous Knowledge (2019) by Kgara Kevin RackDepartment of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Museum Service
Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants and traditional healing practices are vulnerable to exploitation through bio-piracy. The Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Act of 2019 serves as legislative protection against this. Traditional healers preserve indigenous healing by sharing their knowledge, and through reviving and teaching its practices and customs.
Traditional medicinal plants remain an important part of healthcare, cultural identity and indigenous knowledge systems in South Africa. Protecting both these plants and the knowledge associated with them helps ensure their continued use for future generations.
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