
Trees & flora
Boscia albitrunca, commonly known as the Shepherd tree or Shepherd's tree (Afrikaans: Witgat, Sotho: Mohlôpi, Tswana: Motlôpi, Venda: Muvhombwe, Xhosa: Umgqomogqomo, Zulu: Umvithi), is a protected tree in South Africa.
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 1,677 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Northern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Shepherd’s Tree is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,676 records, iNaturalist
10+ results in South Africa
Planning a trip
Hosts have recorded the Shepherd’s Tree at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park.
Species
Boscia albitrunca
Records
1 676
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
A record means a host has seen the Shepherd’s Tree on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Shepherd’s Tree at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
The Shepherd’s Tree is most recorded in Northern Cape (56% of records), Limpopo (21% of records), North West (9% of records), based on 1 676 iNaturalist observations. 11 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Shepherd’s Tree on site or nearby.
The Shepherd’s Tree is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
Boscia albitrunca, commonly known as the Shepherd tree or Shepherd's tree (Afrikaans: Witgat, Sotho: Mohlôpi, Tswana: Motlôpi, Venda: Muvhombwe, Xhosa: Umgqomogqomo, Zulu: Umvithi), is a protected tree in South Africa. The species epithet "albitrunca" refers to the oftentimes white trunk.