About Leucadendron argenteum (L.) R.Br.
Leucadendron argenteum, commonly called the silver tree or silver leaf tree, and known as Witteboom or Silwerboom in Afrikaans, is an endangered plant species in the Proteaceae family. It is endemic to a small area of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, and is a protected tree within the country. Most of its natural population grows in and around the city of Cape Town, with the main population concentrated on the slopes of Table Mountain. This includes populations in the Lion's Head area above Rhodes Memorial, and on the mountain slopes above Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. There are also three small outlying populations located near Cape Town in Stellenbosch, Somerset West, and Paarl. It has not yet been confirmed whether these populations are natural outliers, or were introduced by planting during early Cape history. The Somerset West outlying population is located within Silvertree Gorge, a natural heritage site in the Spanish Farm suburb. Historically, the silver tree was more widespread across Table Mountain, and its shimmering silver forests covered large portions of the mountain's slopes. Early demand for this species' timber led to most of these forests being felled, leaving the silver tree as a current rare and endangered species.
