| DESCRIPTION: It is a tree reaching up to 35 m in height with a dbh of 85 cm under favourable conditions. It has a fluted and often curved bole, which makes it difficult to obtain large dimensions of timber. Bark grey, smooth or rough with longitudinal cracks. USE: The timber is used in flooring, furniture and joinery. In Kenya, it is a favourite wood for carving artefacts. Wood also used as firewood and charcoal. Oil distilled from the wood has a pleasant, vetiver-like perfume. Bees collect and feed on pollen from the flowers. It is planted as an ornamental tree around dwellings in Kenya. In northern Tanzanian, the tree is overexploited because of its value as fence posts. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: silver oak. FURTHER INF: In Kenya, it is common in semi-deciduous tropical forests of the central highlands and the lowland dry coastal belts. It is also found in the northern forests of Tanzania. It prefers deep, well developed, red, volcanic clay loams in plateau forests and red soils in the coastal belts. |
