Albizia gummifera has been called Peacock Flower but the Swahili name of Mkenge is more understood in Tanzania.
A tree endemic to East Africa but is also found in West Africa, Ethiopian Zaire and Madagascar. In Tanzania it is found in rainforest from around 600 m - 2 600 m above sea level. There was a very large tree behind out house at Makumira.
Description: A large deciduous [or partly deciduous] tree to 15 m, with branches ascending to form a flat top. Trunk diameter >1 m. Bark is grey and smooth. Leaves are shiny and dark green with leaflets being rectangular and the veins diagonal. Flowers white/pink clusters with prominent stamens. Fruits are pods in bundles and shiny brown, flat with raised edges >20 cm long [sometimes shorter] and 3 cm wide containing 8 - 41 flat, brown seeds.
Uses: Firewood, general use timber, household utensils [no taste to the wood], beehives, traditional medicine, fodder, bee forage, soil conservation, nitrogen fixation, shade, shelter.
Propagation: There are >15 000 seeds per kg which can be stored for a year if kept dry and insect free. Germination is quick, 4 -12 days and with a rate of >80%.
Fresh seed will germinate without treatment but stored seed will need cold water soaking for 12 hours, better though is to nick the seed coat.
In the pot the seedling grows well and needs [or performs best] shade when first out-planted.
The tree is fast growing in good conditions and will coppice.
The gum makes a lather/soap, but despite the name, gum is not harvested from the tree. The pale brown heartwood is reasonably strong and is easy to work.
The nectar in the flower attracts monkeys, and they eat the whole flower. Monkeys can be raiders and damage other crops.
The leaves quicken the ripening of bananas when layered in unripe fruit.
Generally it a an attractive tree.
Uses: Firewood, general use timber, household utensils [no taste to the wood], beehives, traditional medicine, fodder, bee forage, soil conservation, nitrogen fixation, shade, shelter.
Propagation: There are >15 000 seeds per kg which can be stored for a year if kept dry and insect free. Germination is quick, 4 -12 days and with a rate of >80%.
Fresh seed will germinate without treatment but stored seed will need cold water soaking for 12 hours, better though is to nick the seed coat.
In the pot the seedling grows well and needs [or performs best] shade when first out-planted.
The tree is fast growing in good conditions and will coppice.
The gum makes a lather/soap, but despite the name, gum is not harvested from the tree. The pale brown heartwood is reasonably strong and is easy to work.
The nectar in the flower attracts monkeys, and they eat the whole flower. Monkeys can be raiders and damage other crops.
The leaves quicken the ripening of bananas when layered in unripe fruit.
Generally it a an attractive tree.
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