African Mahogany
Afzelia africana
- Native to:
- Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan-South Sudan, Togo, Uganda
Didier Descouens
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Afzelia
- Species:
- Afzelia africana
- USDA Symbol:
- AFAF
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 3000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar,apr
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, insects, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Thick bark provides fire resistance typical of savanna trees. Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire or cutting damage.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers deep soils in savanna regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification or hot water treatment. Seeds germinate readily after mechanical or thermal scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI