Shea Butter
Vitellaria paradoxa
- Native to:
- Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan-South Sudan, Togo, Uganda
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Sapotaceae
- Genus:
- Vitellaria
- Species:
- Vitellaria paradoxa
- USDA Symbol:
- VIPA12
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 2500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jan,feb,mar,dec
- Bloom Colors:
- cream, white
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, mammals, bats
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Mature trees can survive savanna fires due to thick corky bark and resprout from the base after top-kill.
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:
- native to savanna regions with seasonal rainfall
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds are recalcitrant with short viability; must be sown fresh within days of extraction. No dormancy, but seeds lose viability rapidly if dried.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI