Ebony Diospyros
Diospyros mespiliformis
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Caprivi Strip, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Marco Schmidt,Martin Hipangwa,Luigi Balugani (www.wikidata.org),JMK,JMK,JMK,JMK,Mammalwatcher,Bernard DUPONT (www.flickr.com) from FRANCE,Luigi Balugani (www.wikidata.org),Luigi Balugani,Luigi Balugani (www.wikidata.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ebenaceae
- Genus:
- Diospyros
- Species:
- Diospyros mespiliformis
- USDA Symbol:
- DIME8
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 2500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- oct,nov,dec
- Bloom Colors:
- cream, yellow
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, mammals, elephants, monkeys, baboons
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Mature trees have thick, fire-resistant bark and can resprout after moderate fires. Common in fire-prone African savannas.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils in riverine areas
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily when fresh; passage through animal digestive tracts may enhance germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI