| DESCRIPTION: It is a semi-deciduous to deciduous tree up to 20 m tall with a dense rounded crown and tall, bare stem. Bark on young branches grey-brown and smooth, on older branches and stems dark brown and rough. Leaves alternate, simple, 4.5-18 x 1.5-7 cm. USE: The fruits are sweet and edible when ripe and taste slightly like currants. Leaves can be fed to silkworm. The wood can be used for parquet floors, furniture, panelling, tool handles, boats, bows, carpentry, and most general joinery work and is also used as firewood and charcoal. Resin and dye is obtained from the bark. Bark, leaves and roots have medicinal properties. The root system is extensive and bind the soil effectively, the tree can be used along eroded drainage lines and streams where the natural vegetation has been removed. It is an excellent shade tree and ornamental with leaves turning yellow, orange and purple. Also used in agroforestry. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. Fast growing on good sites. COMMON NAMES: bridelia (English). FURTHER INF: The tree occurs in savannah and secondary forest, in swamp forest, along forest edges, in riverine woodland and in gallery forest. It does well in a wide variety of climates. It is naturally distributed from the Sudan in the north to the eastern Cape in South Africa. It can withstand light frost, is not drought resistant but withstands seasonal flooding. It grows on a variety of soils, from sandy to regular clay loams. It has an aggressive root system and should not be planted close to buildings or paved areas. |
