Common Name:

General Information

Celtis africana is a deciduous shrub or a tree with a spreading crown; it can grow up to 30 metres tall, occasionally to 40 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 15 metres, though it is often low-branching. It is up to 90cm in diameter, often slightly fluted but usually without buttresses[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of timber. The tree is commonly planted as ornamental shade tree and roadside tree[299

Known Hazards

The pollen has been recorded as an allergen[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - mainly in the east, but extending from Liberia to Somalia and Arabia, south to Angola and S. Africa.

Habitat

Not common but widely distributed at medium to higher elevation in evergreen rainforests, wooded ravines, riverine fringes and on rocky outcrops in high rainfall areas, sometimes on termite mounds; coastal forests in S. Africa; elevations to 2,000 m[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics and subtropics. It can tolerate some frost[].
Although it prefers relatively fertile and deep moist soils, it can also be found on sandy dunes and river banks, as well as on rocky soils, but under these conditions it usually only develops into a shrub[]. Requires a well-drained soil[]. Established plants are moderately drought resistant[].
A fast-growing plant with annual increases in height of 1 - 2 metres when young[].
The first fruits may appear when trees are 4 years old[].
The bark has a high content of phenolic compounds, deterring porcupines from damaging the bark[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Several plant parts are used in traditional medicine[].

The pounded bark is used to treat fever, headache and general malaise[].

A leaf decoction is applied to sore eyes[].

The roots are boiled and the infusion drunk to stop shaking[].

Unspecified plant parts are used to treat pleurisy[].

Methanol extracts from leaves and stems have shown significant antioxidant activity, which is likely due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds[].
Root and leaf extracts showed only slight or no activity on cestodes of the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta after one hour, but significant activity after 24 hours[].

Other Uses

The fibrous bark is often used for making ropes and cloth[].

The yellowish-white wood is heavy, hard, tough and strong[]. It is used for planks, yokes, triggers, axe handles, laths, fences, cooperage, railway ties etc[].

The heartwood is yellowish white or pale brown to greenish brown, occasionally with dark irregular streaks; it is not distinctly demarcated from the whitish sapwood. There is often a dark brown to black stain around the pith. The grain is usually straight, sometimes interlocked; texture fine to moderately coarse and even; when freshly cut, the wood has an unpleasant smell, which has sometimes been described as 'apple-like'. The wood is moderately heavy; moderately hard; strong; tough; of low durability and susceptible to attacks by blue-stain fungi, termites, Lyctus and marine borers. It is fairly easy to saw and work with both machine and hand tools, and has moderate blunting effect on cutting edges; in planing a reduced cutting angle is needed to avoid tearing at surfaces; it takes a good finish with nice polish without the use of a filler; it has good nailing properties, but with some tendency to splitting.; it glues well; boring and mortising should be done with good support.; the bending properties are excellent, but turning properties poor. The wood is used for construction, flooring, joinery, interior trim, mine props, furniture, ladders, toys, novelties, sporting goods, agricultural implements, tool handles, pestles, tent-bows, yokes, wagon-making, spoons, boxes and crates. It is suitable for ship building, railway sleepers, veneer and plywood[, ].
The wood is used for fuel and for charcoal production[].

Propagation

Seed -
Fresh seeds germinate within 60 days and may have a high germination rate. Treatment is not necessary, but germination is hastened by soaking stones in cold water for 24 hours before sowing. They can be stored for some time in airtight containers. In South Africa seeds are sown in flat seedling trays filled with a mixture of 5 parts river sand and 1 part well decomposed compost placed in a warm but shaded place. To promote germination, seeds should be covered with a thin layer of river sand and kept moist; under these circumstances germination takes 15 - 30 days with a germination rate up to 70%. It is recommended to transplant seedlings into fertile soil. They should be watered sparingly[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: 10 times itself is?