Quiver Tree Forest

[Koper]

I've been to the Quiver Tree forests of Keetmanshoop & Loeriesfontein/Niewoudtville, but not a lot of people know about the forest near Kamieskroon.  You have to drive east from Kamieskroon towards the Boesmanland to a settlement called Rooifontein & Kamasies.

The forest at Keetmanshoop has a lot of spectacular old trees, but this one is far bigger imho, although it has a lot of young trees.  For kilometers the mountains beside the road is filled with quiver trees.

I'm fortunate enough to know some jeep tracks between the trees & took the family there on Friday, here is some pics for the armchair travelers.

Lastly, a hut build from the logs of dead quiver trees:

 

[BTTB]

Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing. I was at the Quiver Tree forest outside Keetmanshoop last year and I recall we had to pay $50 or $100 each to get in, cant remember if it was %100 for the two of us or $200. Anyway it struck me that one could simply drive around and see Quiver Trees without having to pay to get into this particular farm which had a forest of them, more dense than what you have detailed.
That Quiver Tree Forest near Keetmanshoop was declared a Monument by the Namibian authorities.

However, like most things in life, once you have seen one you have seen them all.

 

[Koper]

BTTB wrote:

Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing. I was at the Quiver Tree forest outside Keetmanshoop last year and I recall we had to pay $50 or $100 each to get in, cant remember if it was %100 for the two of us or $200. Anyway it struck me that one could simply drive around and see Quiver Trees without having to pay to get into this particular farm which had a forest of them, more dense than what you have detailed.
That Quiver Tree Forest near Keetmanshoop was declared a Monument by the Namibian authorities.

However, like most things in life, once you have seen one you have seen them all.

Yes, we overnight on the farm so the visit to the forest & Giants Playground was included in the price for us luckily.

 

[Simen]

    Great Koper, thanks for sharing.   

 

[The Ancient Mariner]

These are beautiful plants!If I am not mistaken,this is what the bushmen made their quivers out of?

 

[Koper]

The Ancient Mariner wrote:

These are beautiful plants!If I am not mistaken,this is what the bushmen made their quivers out of?

Yes - Correct

 

[JasonF]

Ivan, hoe kry ek 1 of 5 van daardie bome in my tuin.....

Moet mens permitte he om hulle aan te hou soos in die geval van broodbome of kan ek hom net plant?

 

[dirkc]

Quoted from the www.mesosaurus.com website. I went to this farm a few years back and it was one of my best holidays.

"The botanical name of the Quivertree, Aloe dichotoma refers to the way in which the branches grow. Di means two and toma branches ie. The branches of the tree always forks in two’s as it grows. However, the name Quiver tree refers to the Bushmen's ancient custom of hollowing out the tree branches and using it as quivers in which to carry there hunting arrows.
We have also found that the leaves of the Quiver tree are eaten by Kudu antilope because it acts as a repellant to parasites when absorbed into the animals blood stream."