Mkingu in Swahili, and the English woman's tongue referring to the long, brown seed pods, is a tree that has been introduced through tropical regions. Indigenous to India there are plantations in South-East Asia, North and West Africa and South America.
In Tanzania it has been planted mainly as a shade tree and is planted in lower and medium altitudes. The tree is common in Morogoro and Tanga, preferring black cotton soils with a reasonably high water table - roots are near the surface. The species thrives in most soils.
Description: A deciduous tree to about 14 metres high but with adequate moisture may reach to >20 metres. The tree has a short truck and large branches to support a wide, dense crown. Bark is grey - blueish with brown pore and becomes rough and fissured. Leaves are compound and feathery with + - 10 pairs of leaflets, rounded at the tip and 2 - 3 cm. Branchlets and leaves have distinctive soft, golden hairs. Flowers are numerous, cream, pink and yellow about 3 - 5 cm across, half spherical and stalked. Flowers last just a few days. Fruit are shiny yellow-brown pods - bulging over seeds - in clusters and are borne on the tree for a long time. The seeds in the pods clatter in the wind.
Uses: Fuelwood and charcoal, timber (mainly furniture & flooring), posts, poles, fodder, bee fodder, shade, nitrogen fixation, soil conservation, gum/soap.
Propagation: There are about 10 000 seeds per kg - best collected from the tree but not necessarily and can be stored for a long time if kept dry and insect free. Germination is good at 80% with best results from nicking the seed. Immersion in hot water and soaking for 12 hours is also effective.
Direct sowing into pots is best for later outplanting but a nicked seed placed under a cowpat will grow and survive if protected.
Mkingu grows rapidly on good sites viz. at Valeska Primary School where good care and attention was given to the plantings. It is palatable to stock so protection is required until the tree is above browsing height.
The timber is hard and heavy with a good grain for finished timber. Otherwise a good fuelwood.
