A Karoo bossie can scarcely be described as soft or vibrant. The bossies can appear very pale, rigid and rough, and often have thorns. Upon closer examination, one will see that each branch is filled with tiny leaves, eagerly anticipating water – ready to fill up and swell out. Those same bossies turn into these vibrant green bundles. This will last from a few weeks to a few months (depending on the amount of rain) before returning to the rugged appearance the Karoo is so well known for.