Cissampelos capensis

Scientific name: Cissampelos capensis L.f.

Family: MENISPERMACEAE

Common name: dawidjies

Plant Description 

Dawidjies is under utilised like many other beautiful plants that we don’t often see in home gardens and retail nurseries. This plant is a bluish-green perennial climber with twining stems. It grows up to 1m tall. The leaves are ovate to heart-shaped, alternate and hairless. Hairy cream to pale green flowers are often seen from February to May, followed by small orange berries.

The name Cissampelos comes from the Greek kissos = ivy and ampelos = vine referring to the scrambling, climbing habit of the species. 

C. capensis has medicinal properties; you can read more about it in a book Medicinal Plants of South Africa by Ben-Erik van Wyk et al.. It is used as a blood purifier, for boils, bladder ailments, diarrhoea, colic and cholera. 

Growing and maintenance of Cissampelos capensis

Cissampelos capensis is a slow-growing tough shrub. It is perfect for sunny, dry and windy spots in any garden. C. capensis does well in sandy soil and well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Its beautiful bluish-green foliage adds colour and texture to a garden. It can be used as groundcover or as a climber to cover an unsightly fence. 

Propagate from seeds: 

• Soak seeds in lukewarm water for 12 - 48 hours.
• Use river sand and fine bark as a sowing mix
• Sow seeds 1 cm deep. 
• Seeds must be kept moist and placed in a room with enough light until germination takes place.
• Water regularly

References

Low, A.B. 1983, Flowering Plants of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, University of Western Cape, Bellville

Manning, J & Goldblatt, P. 1996. West Coast South African Wild Flower Guide7. Botanical Society of South Africa, Claremont.

van Wyk, B., van Outdshoorn, B. & Gericke, N. 2013. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria

Foden, W. & Potter, L. 2005. Cissampelos capensis L.f. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1. Accessed on 2021/01/04