Calodendrum capense

In a forest environment, this tree can reach heights of up to 20 m, but at the forest margin or in the open it is shorter, approx. 7 m, with a more spreading canopy. It generally has a single, smooth trunk with a dense rounded canopy.

The tree will flower during early summer.   The large flowers are faintly sweet-scented and carried in conspicuous terminal panicles. Each flower has five long narrow pale pink petals (4-5 cm x 0.5 cm), alternating with five petal-like staminodes (sterile stamens), also pale pink but conspicuously dotted with purplish to maroon glands. The calyx is star-shaped and persists after the flower has dropped off.

The leaves are dark green, relatively large (5-22 cm long x 2-10 cm wide), simple, with un-toothed undulate margins, and elliptic in shape.