Neocussonia umbellifera is an evergreen to semi-deciduous Southern African tree of 15-20m growing in escarpment and coastal forest in Malawi, through eastern Zimbabwe and Mozambique along the east coast to South Africa, as far south as the Garden Route.

in 1776 to honour the 18th century German physician and botanist Johann Peter Ernst von Scheffler (born in 1739) of Danzig, and not to be confused with writer and physician Jacob Christoph Scheffler (1698-1745) of Altdorf bei Nürnberg.

[9][10] This species lends itself to Bonsai, the Japanese art of growing stunted trees in containers.

Leaf and bark decoctions and infusions have been used in traditional medicine for indigestion, rheumatism, colic, insanity and malaria.

Compounds from Araliaceae display a wide range of pharmacological properties including antifungal, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-brain tumour and antibacterial activity.