Table of Contents
- Plant of choice: Buchu
- Scientific name: Agathosma betulina
- Common name: Buchu or Bergboegoe
- Family: Rutaceae
- Genus: Agathosma
- Species: Betulina
Description of the Plant
Agathosma betulina is a shrub that is well adapted to grow in dry regions. The leaves have round oil glands found scattered across the leaf, which release an aromatic golden oil that has a sweet peppermint-like odour. (Skosana, Aboua and du Plessis, 2014) The leaves of the buchu plant has also been described as being pale green in colour, leathery and glossy, with a blunt, strongly-curved tip and finely-toothed margin. A.betulina has small flowers, with five whitish petals. (Grieve, n.d.) A.betulina is small, multi-stemmed and grows to about 1,0 m high. (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2011)
Distribution of A.betulina in South Africa
Agathosma betulina is endemic to the mountains of the Western Cape Province in South Africa, ranging from Clanwilliam in the north to Tulbach in the south. (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2011)
Ecology of the Buchu Plant
Seeds are planted from April to June, while seedlings are planted from June to October. The plants should be established on the south or east-facing slopes and north and west-facing slopes can be too warm and dry. The major pests or insects identified on A.betulina plants are soft scale, hard scale (“dopluis”), plant-lice, ants, cutworms, stem-borer beetles, snails, leaf-miners, root-knot nematodes and harvester termites. The plant requires a low soil pH, ideally 3.5 to 4.5 but will tolerate pH of up to 5.5. A.betulina thrives in virgin soil on mountain slopes in highly leached or sandy, well-drained, gravely soil with a minimum depth of 600 mm. A.betulina requires Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and temperature of between 6°C and 17°C. (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2011)
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Red List Status of A.betulina
A.betulina has been assessed by Trinder-Smith and Raimondo (2016) and its status has been recorded as Least Concern. They noted that the extent of occurrence of the species is 4624 km2, from over 40 locations. The species has been heavily impacted by harvesting for its essential oils throughout its range. Although local declines in some subpopulations have been reported, the population is not suspected to have lost more than ten percent of individuals. This species is a resprouter and is able to recover from moderate levels of harvesting. Only severe repeat harvesting of the same individuals in some areas has caused declines. Current provincial legislation managing the trade has resulted in cultivated material being promoted, most wild subpopulations are therefore no longer targeted. (Trinder-Smith & Raimondo, 2016)
Uses for the Buchu Plant
A.betulina is a multi-purpose species and has long been used as an antiseptic, an anti-inflammatory agent, for urinary problems including maladies such as haematuria, calculi, kidney disease and infection of the bladder, prostate and urethra. Today it is also used to stimulate perspiration in rheumatic disease and gout, as a digestive tonic which can treat cholera and stomach complaints, an antispasmodic, an antipyretic, as a treatment for colds and flu, and most importantly, as a diuretic. It is also listed as a treatment for arthritis, cellulite, nausea and diarrhoea, flatulence, prostatitis and urinary tract infections. (Skosana, et al., 2014)
