Spekboom — The Miracle Plant

What is Spekboom?

Portulacaria afra — commonly known as Spekboom (Afrikaans for "bacon tree" or "porkbush") — is a hardy, long-lived succulent native to South Africa's Eastern Cape. It forms the dominant species in the Subtropical Thicket biome, a unique and globally rare ecosystem sometimes called the "green Karoo."

Spekboom is extraordinary because it can photosynthesise using two separate pathways depending on conditions: the standard C3 pathway during cool, moist periods, and the water-efficient CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) pathway during hot, dry conditions. This dual capability makes it both drought-resistant and exceptionally productive at capturing carbon.

Why Does It Matter for Carbon?

Spekboom thicket stores carbon at rates comparable to tropical rainforests — up to 10 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare per year — yet it grows in semi-arid conditions where most high-carbon ecosystems cannot survive. Restored thicket also stores significant carbon in the soil, making the long-term carbon balance even more compelling.

When harvested and replanted as cuttings, Spekboom regenerates rapidly. This means large areas can be restored relatively quickly from locally sourced plant material, without importing seeds or competing with food production.

The Degradation Problem

Two centuries of intensive livestock farming stripped vast areas of Eastern Cape thicket of its Spekboom cover. Without the deep root systems and ground cover that Spekboom provides, soil erosion accelerates, water retention drops, and the land becomes largely unproductive. This degradation has affected an estimated 800,000 hectares across the Eastern Cape.

The good news: Spekboom is remarkably resilient. Given the right conditions — adequate spacing, protection from grazing, and follow-up monitoring — planted cuttings establish themselves and spread, gradually rebuilding the complex thicket ecosystem.

A Growing Movement

South Africa's Thicket Restoration Movement brings together more than 60 initiatives with the collective goal of restoring 800,000 hectares of degraded thicket by 2030. In 2025, the movement was named a flagship initiative of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

In April 2026, the World Bank priced a landmark $120 million Spekboom Restoration Outcome Bond, with Amazon secured as a long-term carbon credit buyer. The bond targets 50,000 hectares and 11,000 local jobs — a signal of growing institutional confidence in Spekboom as a credible climate solution.

CCDV is a proud participant in this movement, contributing structured, data-driven projects designed to maximise both carbon outcomes and community benefit.