VERGELEGEN HERITAGE SITES
The 300 year old majestic camphor trees and magnificent homestead and library bear testimony to Vergelegen's grandeur.
Camphor Trees
They are the oldest living, officially documented trees on the subcontinent. Introduced to the Cape from China and Japan around 1670, they were planted at Vergelegen during the van der Stel area (1700 - 1706). The five remaining giants were proclaimed National Monuments in 1942 and are expected to live for another 150 - 200 years. The other camphor trees at Vergelegen are seedlings from these five magnificent species