African Teak

Milicia excelsa

Native to:
Angola, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Moraceae
Genus:
Milicia
Species:
Milicia excelsa
USDA Symbol:
CHEX5

Growth Characteristics

Height:
5000 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Colors:
green

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, small mammals
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Mature trees can survive low-intensity fires due to thick bark; resprouts from base after damage.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
fertile, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers deep soils with good fertility

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Germination Time:
14–28 days
Notes:
Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment when fresh. Light may improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI