THE BITTERBUSH

Scientific name: Pechuel-loeschea Leubnitziae

Common name: Bitterbush

Some names are self-explanatory and the bitterbush is a good example. It is indeed a bitter bush – not that I would recommend it to be eaten by humans to prove this, as the smell alone suggests a bitter taste. This multiple-stemmed bush is known to be a perennial herb with a strong smell found in most areas of the country, except for the majority of the eastern part. With a height of no more than two metres, the bitterbush is not really that big, but it has immense importance to livelihoods. Its leaves have a dusty olive colour with small hairs on it. Its stem is pale brown, quite short and has dense branches growing sideways and upward. The bush produces small purple flowers between October to April, which is also the rainy season.

Amidst the strong smell – unpleasant for many but not so much for me – the bitterbush has uses one would never have imagined. The smell itself serves as an effective repellent to insects such as mosquitoes. The leaves are crushed and set alight in a fire-resistant container – traditionally a claypot. The burnt leaves then emit an even stronger smell to repel insects. The scent is also a natural remedy for colds. Those unassuming branches that look so small are in fact very strong. I have always wondered what the branched fishing traps were made of (yes, the ones we see women manoeuvring in the open plains during the rainy season). Actually, it is often made from the bitterbush, while some use reeds.

It took me a while to fathom how these fishing traps are made from the branches of the bitterbush. As an environmental enthusiast observing indigenous flora, my concern is how many bushes had to be cut to get these branches. Did the entire bush succumb or could it potentially regenerate? These are questions I still wish to have answered by witnessing the whole process one day. What I have noticed, however, is that these traps have become a rare sight within my village, which does make sense, as the bitterbush is not as abundant today as it used to be.

The bitterness of this bush usually prevents livestock from browsing on it, but the drought has forced them to survive on it when grazing areas are limited. Unfortunately, slaughtering livestock that just recently fed on the bitterbush quite literally gives the meat a bitter taste and smell, making it a total waste of meat. Interestingly, the name of the town Omaruru means “bitter milk”. It is said that cattle often produced bitter milk after grazing the bitterbushes, which were readily available at the time.

While randomly asking elderly friends and family about the uses of this bush, I learnt that the tiny branches inserted between the rows of barns for mahangu storage are branches of the bitterbush. The barns are usually made from mediumsized mopane branches, and bitterbush branches are inserted to fill the gaps in between. In addition to the strength of these branches, they happen to be resistant to insect infestation. This is a great strategy to avoid or at least reduce the number of insects. The smell of the branches slowly fades as it dries, while the branches remain strong and are not easily broken.

The seeds of the bitterbush are quite small but visible with the naked eye. This is an important bush to rural livelihoods, therefore like any other plant that can be propagated, it should be propagated. It should be done at the right places and in the right quantities. Our communities can thrive when we have the right plants in the right places. Let’s restore our natural habitats to serve this purpose.

Agnes Shekupe Shivute