Botanical atlas

Tree Fuchsia

Halleria lucida

In the forests and gardens of South Africa, the tree fuchsia has long been known as a plant of small, practical comforts. Zulu traditional healers have used a warmed infusion of the leaves as drops for earache and as a gentle wash for sore, inflamed eyes, and the crushed leaves have also been applied as a folk remedy to soothe minor skin irritations. Long before it earned a place in ethnobotanical record books, children learned to pinch the base of its curved orange flowers and suck out the drop of sweet nectar inside, a small forest treat passed down the same way the plant itself has been, quietly and by hand.

Safety.

No significant toxicity is documented for tree fuchsia, but leaf preparations should not be put in the eyes or ears without medical guidance, since that can cause irritation or infection.