Spekboom and Bitter Aloes

Portulacaria afra (spekboom) is also sometimes known as porkbush or purslane tree. It is very drought tolerant owing to its ability to switch between two photosynthetic pathways. When under drought stress, it will switch to the CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) pathway to conserve water; this involves closing the leaf stomata (pores) during the day to minimise water loss; instead of exchanging gases through the pores during the day as most plants do, it builds up a store of carbon dioxide at night to use for photosynthesis during the day; this CO2 is stored as malic (apple) acid, which gives leaves picked early in the morning a delicious tangy flavour.

Aloe ferox (Cape aloe or bitter aloe) is probably the most recognisable aloe species owing to its prominent inflorescences.

These species are both indigenous to South Africa.