Cussonia spicata - growth habit question

[Tracy]

I have a pair of Cussonia spicata growing in my garden, one has reached the stage where it branched at the top after just growing straight up for the first few years.  Earlier this year, that plant started putting out new branches off the trunk, but the old growth points have declined.  I didn't see any sort of flowering on those top branches but sort of assume it did but they were obscured with all the leaves.  The second specimen began doing the top branching this year, but hasn't pushed any new growth points yet off the trunk.  Both plants are pictured below and should be pretty obvious which one fits each description.

Now for the question on growth habit for those that have grown these before.  Does that top crown of branches ever become a new growth point or is it more of a dead end with everything emerging below?  If it is a dead end, I've considered cutting it off above where all the new growth has begun as it is a bit of an eyesore.  Advice?

[Rivera]

On 7/5/2023 at 3:26 PM, Tracy said:

I have a pair of Cussonia spicata growing in my garden, one has reached the stage where it branched at the top after just growing straight up for the first few years.  Earlier this year, that plant started putting out new branches off the trunk, but the old growth points have declined.  I didn't see any sort of flowering on those top branches but sort of assume it did but they were obscured with all the leaves.  The second specimen began doing the top branching this year, but hasn't pushed any new growth points yet off the trunk.  Both plants are pictured below and should be pretty obvious which one fits each description.

Now for the question on growth habit for those that have grown these before.  Does that top crown of branches ever become a new growth point or is it more of a dead end with everything emerging below?  If it is a dead end, I've considered cutting it off above where all the new growth has begun as it is a bit of an eyesore.  Advice?

Tracy, your question piqued my curiosity, but it seems no one can answer.

Though the below article is focused on a different species of Cussonia, I think it may be of interest regarding flowering behavior.

https://pza.sanbi.org/cussonia-sphaerocephala

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Rivera

[Tracy]

12 hours ago, Rivera said:

Tracy, your question piqued my curiosity, but it seems no one can answer.

Though the below article is focused on a different species of Cussonia, I think it may be of interest regarding flowering behavior.

https://pza.sanbi.org/cussonia-sphaerocephala

 

Good idea.  I have looked up and researched other South African native plants on PlantZAfrica site.  The description is probably very similar for Cussonia spicata since the species referenced was considered a form of C spicata for a period,  Citing the referenced article:

C. sphaerocephala was described by Aitken in 1923 as an ecological form of C. spicata.

The genus Cussonia contains about 25 species that occur in Africa and the Mascarenes. There are 11 species in South Africa, and those most familiar to gardeners are the mountain cabbage tree (C. paniculata) and the common cabbage tree (C. spicata.).