Cordia africana, or Mringaringa is a large tree that somehow always looks dry because of the colour of its foliage. Most usually I encountered the species standing alone in farms as a remnant of mixed forest cover. The smell of the flowers drew me to the tree.
Mringaringa was one of the indigenous trees that farmers were prepared to plant.
It is a forest tree and tolerates a wide variety of soils but does not tolerates extremes of drought.
Description: A much branched semi-deciduous tree with a rounded crown growing to about 12 metres. Bark is pale brown and finely grooved but rougher with age. The leaves are large and oval, slightly pointed at the tip and rounded at the base. The underside is covered with soft brown hairs. The leaves feel dry/leathery. Flowers are showy, with white petals and are funnel shaped, scented and attractive to bees.. Fruits are yellowish, 1 cm and in hairy cups. The flesh is sticky and each fruit contains 4-6 seeds.
Uses: Mringaringa is valued for its timber and makes fine furniture, roof shingles and traditional beehives; firewood, medicine (roots & bark), bee forage, shade in coffee plantations, soil conservation and is used as a boundary marker.
Propagation: There are >3000 seeds per Kg with a viability of around 70%. Fruits become ripe August/September. Seed stores for 1 year.
Soak seed in cold water for 12 hours prior to sowing directly into pots and the seedlings are big enough for outplanting after 1 year.
Protected trees establish quickly in the field.
The heartwood is hard and makes very nice bowls and furniture taking polish very well.
The tree does not compete greatly with crops like coffee because the leaves become mulch and as the shuts down, losing its leaves, it provides the opportunity for the soil to rehydrate.
Mringaringa was one of the indigenous trees that farmers were prepared to plant.
It is a forest tree and tolerates a wide variety of soils but does not tolerates extremes of drought.
Description: A much branched semi-deciduous tree with a rounded crown growing to about 12 metres. Bark is pale brown and finely grooved but rougher with age. The leaves are large and oval, slightly pointed at the tip and rounded at the base. The underside is covered with soft brown hairs. The leaves feel dry/leathery. Flowers are showy, with white petals and are funnel shaped, scented and attractive to bees.. Fruits are yellowish, 1 cm and in hairy cups. The flesh is sticky and each fruit contains 4-6 seeds.
Uses: Mringaringa is valued for its timber and makes fine furniture, roof shingles and traditional beehives; firewood, medicine (roots & bark), bee forage, shade in coffee plantations, soil conservation and is used as a boundary marker.
Propagation: There are >3000 seeds per Kg with a viability of around 70%. Fruits become ripe August/September. Seed stores for 1 year.
Soak seed in cold water for 12 hours prior to sowing directly into pots and the seedlings are big enough for outplanting after 1 year.
Protected trees establish quickly in the field.
The heartwood is hard and makes very nice bowls and furniture taking polish very well.
The tree does not compete greatly with crops like coffee because the leaves become mulch and as the shuts down, losing its leaves, it provides the opportunity for the soil to rehydrate.
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