Codon royenii can form strong stands as seen here near the Quiver Tree Forest between Loeriesfontein and Nieuwoudtville. These young plants are mostly still unbranched, erect and large-leaved, all appearing to be of fairly similar age and thriving.

When thresholds of acceptable germination and young plant take-off are high as in harsh and arid regions like Namaqualand, this phenomenon could be common: A particular plant species capitalises suddenly in numbers when the rare, favourable conditions arrive after the seeds have been waiting for years; and wait years more to repeat the performance.

Annihilation of young plants may also form part of local threats to a particular species, maturation after a multitude of seedlings the preserve of the lucky few or strongest specimens. C. royenii is likely a hardy survivor, this newly occupied spot its domain for a long time to come.