This remarkable tree is easily recognised by its smooth, pale golden-yellow papery bark. As it peels away in thin sheets, it reveals a brilliant, bright green under-bark.  This green tissue contains chlorophyll, allowing the tree to photosynthesise and survive even when it drops its leaves during intense droughts.  The vernacular name Kanniedood translates to “cannot die”.  This refers to the tree’s incredible vitality.  If you cut a branch or a pole from a corkwood and plant it directly into the ground, it will easily strike roots and grow into a new tree, a trait traditionally exploited by rural communities to grow “living fences”.  Green-stem corkwood is well adapted to the challenging coastal environment and is an important component of the Eastern Cape’s coastal forests and thickets. Traditionally, various species of Commiphora have been used in African traditional medicine (muthi) to treat wounds, stomach ailments, and respiratory conditions.  It is deeply respected for its lifegiving properties.  And you may if you are lucky see a sombre greenbul eating the fruit.   Their sweet roots of young trees store a high volume of water and is sweet to the taste and travellers and wildlife often dug up the roots during extreme drought periods and chewed them like sugarcane.  Their aromatic resins have also been valued for centuries for medicinal and cultural purposes as they are closely related to the family of trees that produce myrrh and frankincense.