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Although hail contributes occasionally to the water budget in the Karoo, it may also cause localized, extensive damage to plants. A comparison was made between damaged and undamaged vegetation to assess the recovery of species, growth forms and palatability classes following a hail event during autumn (April 1988) in natural veld on a farm near Williston, Cape Province. Grazing stock had been withdrawn for the fourteen months between the time of the damage and the study. There was no significant long-term reduction in species diversity, growth form richness, percentage plant cover and growth form richness in the hail-damaged vegetation. There was a significantly lower cover of palatable plants in the hail-damaged area. It is concluded that the supposed long-term effects of hail damage on vegetation composition may be seriously overstated and that alleviating grazing pressure during the year following hail damage may contribute greatly to successful recovery.