Mopane Linen Placemat

The Mopane grows in the floodplains of Southern Africa such as the lowlands of the Zambesi River as it flows from Angola into Botswana. 

Known as the butterfly tree thanks to Its beautifully shaped leaves, the mopane is part of the legume family. It is much loved by elephants and makes a delicious albeit brief snack for them. The trees have developed a clever protection mechanism; as soon as they are disturbed by the elephants they pump tannin into the leaves making them far too bitter so the elephants move on. They are not too bitter however for several species of moth caterpillars that feast on the leaves. 

Often mottled by the characteristic notches of where the caterpillars have munched, the mopane worm is an important source of nutrition for humans and wild life alike and the cocoons of the wild silk moth are harvested to make wild silk.

Hand painted by our Founder and Creative Director, Caryn Hibbert, all of our original prints depict the flora and fauna that inhabit Thyme’s garden, farm and wild spaces. The prints are then repeated by her husband, Jerry, before being scaled by our expert team in Lithuania onto beautiful, washed European linen. 

Our placemats are 32cm x 47cm in 100% washed European linen. 

40 degree wash, no steam, do not bleach.