National flower and tree of South Africa

National symbols are representations of a country's identity and values.

All Scouts promise to do their duty to their country. When preparing to become a Scout, Recruits are required to:

recognise the national animal, flower and Coat of Arms.

National flower of South Africa

The national flower of South Africa is the King Protea (Protea cynaroides). The plant is widely distributed in the south-western and southern areas of the Western Cape, from the Cederberg up to just east of Grahamstown. South Africa's national flower is the largest of the proteas, which make up an important part of the Cape Floral Region, a major global biodiversity hotspot and a Unesco World Heritage site. The Protea also gives its name to South Africa's national cricket team.

National tree of South Africa

The national tree of South Africa is the Real Yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), found from Table Mountain, along the southern and eastern Cape coast, in the ravines of the Drakensberg up to the Soutpansberg and the Blouberg in Limpopo. In forests, the trees can grow up to 40m in height with the base of the trunk sometimes up to 3m in diameter, while trees that grow in unsheltered places such as mountain slopes are often short, bushy and gnarled. The bark of the real yellowwood is khaki-coloured to grey when it is old, deeply split, and peels off in strips. The crown is relatively small in relation to its height and is often covered with grey lichen.

See also

• National symbols
• For more information on national symbols, see Brand South Africa's article on national symbols