Common Name:

General Information

Nuxia floribunda is a shrub or a tree with a dense, rounded crown; it usually grows 3 - 10 metres tall, though specimens up to 25 metres have been recorded. The bole is usually somewhat contorted, up to 60cm in diameter and fluted[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood and tannins. An attractive, floriferous tree with sweetly scented, cream-white flowers, it is often grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Eastern Africa - Uganda, Kenya, eastern DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, S. Africa.

Habitat

Dry montane forests[]. Forests and on forest margins in the coastal and mountain forest belt, occurring frequently along watercourses, at elevations up to 2,400 metres[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees, Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is relatively sensitive to frost[].
Succeeds in full sun and in partly shady positions[, ]. Requires a deep, rich, moist soil for best growth[, ]. Intolerant of droughts[].
A moderately fast-growing plant when planted in good, moist soils[].
The root system is not aggressive or invasive, allowing for planting in close proximity to roads, buildings and paving[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots are used for treating influenza[].

The leaves are used to treat coughs, colds, influenza, fevers, indigestion, infantile convulsions[].
The leaves are dried and burnt, then the smoke is inhaled by a child who suffers from convulsions[].

Other Uses

The bark is rich in tannins at 5.71%[].

The pale yellow wood is close-grained, hard and heavy. It is occasionally used for timber, general carpentry, furniture, turnery etc, and also makes good building poles[, ].
The wood makes a good fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - The seeds which are very small in size should be scattered evenly over the surface of the medium and very lightly covered with fine river sand. Place in a warm, brightly lit position and keep moist. Germination times generally vary between 6 and 12 weeks. According to Von Breitenbach (1965) the germinative capacity of the seed may however be very low[].
Propagation from cuttings involves selecting healthy semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings up to 100 mm in length (Venter & Venter 2002). These should be inserted into a well-drained growing medium for rooting, suitable media being river sand or equal parts of river sand and compost mix[].

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