Tortoise Berry. 1 x 1. A favorite foraging plant for the well-loved ‘slow but steady’ animal of story-telling legend, this small shrub is a lovely filler in fynbos gardens. Preferring coastal conditions along the Eastern, Northern Cape and Western Cape it nonetheless thrives in most situations throughout the country. Flowering displays are profuse and from April to October, tiny flowers turn this stiff, spikey shrub into a pink-purple flowering ball! Its natural habitats suggest a preference for sandy, free-draining, even rocky soils; planted in full sun, the Tortoise Berry is hardy and drought tolerant, coping well with a broad range of temperatures. Tortoise food in the form of ripe red fleshy berries follow throughout summer, loved too by birds and people. Where to plant: in rockeries, on stony or sandy slopes, or in the front to mid-section of a flowering border or screen. The growth habit – stiff, arching stems – makes a useful contrast to plants with soft and feathery foliage.