Croton macrostachyus

Broadleaved Croton has many local names but the Swahili name is obscure and members of our seminars in Meru did not recognize Mfurufuru ans much as Marabai.

The tree has some dominance on higher rainfall areas of East Africa including the mountain areas of Meru, Kilimanjaro,  and Iringa.

Description: A medium sized tree to 20m.. The crown open and rounded with some heavy branches. The bark is pale grey and smooth. The leaves are Heart shaped, large and soft to 15cm and on long stems crowded at the ends of branchlets. . The flowers are creamy yellow and sweetly scented in erect spikes .25cm. Flower spike droops as seed capsules form. The fruit are pea-sized capsules on the drooping spikes. The capsule split open with a load crack to release shiny seeds with a soft white/crean aril.

Uses:Poles, tool handles medicine (sap, leaves, roots, bark), bee fodder, soil conservation and shade. Poor timber and firewood burns with unpleasant smoke.

Propagation: There are 15 000 - 25 000 seeds per kg and very often the seed is damaged by insect attack. Germination of sound seed is 50 - 60% within 60 days.

Seed will store for a short time if kept cool and insect free.

Seed treatment is not necessary and the capsules are collected when ripe and left in the sun to open.

Direct sow into pots.

The tree grows quickly in good sites and may be lopped or pollarded  over crops.

Seeds and resin are poisonous and freshly cut wood has a spicy smell - unpleasant.

The tree is good for inter-cropping eg in coffee plantations.

Wood is soft, light and perishable.