About Oldenburgia grandis (Thunb.) Baill.
Oldenburgia grandis, which has the common names Suurberg cushion bush and Suurberg-kussingbos, is a shrub or small gnarled tree belonging to the Asteraceae family. It grows in the mountains surrounding Makhanda in South Africa, reaching approximately 5 metres in height on sandstone outcrops. This species has thick corky bark and large leaves that cluster at the ends of branches. Mature leaves are dark green and leathery, with a shape similar to loquat leaves but noticeably larger overall. When leaves first emerge, they are completely and densely covered in a white, felt-like layer of hair. Most of this felt covering is lost as the leaf matures, though some remains on the leaf undersides. The woolly covering on young leaves is an adaptation to cold conditions. Its flowers are white or purplish, and grow in large flowerheads that measure 5 to 12 centimetres in diameter. All flowerheads are borne at the ends of branches. A single plant can produce both solitary flowerheads and flowerheads arranged in loose, irregular panicles. O. grandis is currently threatened by habitat loss.
