Common Name: Black Ironwood

General Information

Black ironwood is an evergreen bushy shrub or a small tree, usually growing up to 10 metres tall, though occasional specimens may be much larger, occasionally reaching 40 metres[].
The tree is often harvested from the wild for its high quality timber. It also provides an edible fruit and has some medicinal qualities.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - drier areas of Sierra Leone to Somalia, south through eastern Africa to S. Africa.

Habitat

Occurring in bush, littoral scrub and evergreen forest in situations where temperatures are relatively low and, apart from diurnal fluctuations, fairly constant temperatures throughout the year[]. It can be a dominant tree in woodland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	10.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of tropical and subtropical areas, where it is found at elevations from 800 - 2,600 metres[]. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature falls within the range 14 - 18°c, but can tolerate 10 - 30°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 800 - 1,200mm with a distinct dry season, tolerating a rainfall of 700 - 1,500mm[].
Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil[]. Plants can tolerate some shade[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, but tolerates 5 - 7.5[].
Growth is reported fast in young plants but much slower in older ones. Over the first 4 years a mean annual height of 1.1 metres has been reported[].
Flowering in profusion apparently takes place only at irregular intervals of up to 7 years in the late dry season[]. The fruits take about 6 months to ripen[].
This species has been divided into 3 subspecies:-
Ssp. Macrocarpa. The fruits are oblong to elliptic, up to 2 x 1 cm; flowers in lax heads.
Ssp. Capensis. The fruits are almost spherical to oblong elliptic, up to 1 cm long; flowers in dense heads and leaves very variable, apex often rounded; branchlets grey to greyish-brown.
Ssp. Enervis. The leaves are usually broadly elliptic, apex tapering; branchlets grey to whitish[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - sometimes eaten[]. The ovoid, fleshy fruit is up to 2 x 1 cm - when ripe they are somewhat succulent purplish drupes[].

Medicinal

The roots are used to treat infertility in women[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is used for shade in coffee plantations[].
A natural pioneer species in its native range[].

Other Uses

The wood of ssp capensis and ssp enervis is rarely used, but that of ssp macrocarpa is of high quality[].
The heartwood is pale brown with irregular dark gray-brown streaks; it is clearly demarcated from the up to 5cm wide band of pale yellow sapwood. The texture is fine and even; the grain straight or shallowly interlocked, figured; the surface slightly oily. The wood is hard and heavy; durability is low to moderate, being susceptible to termite attack. It dries very slowly, with a strong tendency to check and warp; honeycomb may develop in thick material if dried too rapidly. It is easy to saw when green; difficult to work by hand; a smooth clean finish is obtained in planing; it has excellent turning properties; steam-bending properties are moderate. An attractively figured wood, it is used for purposes such as quality furniture, decorative veneer, turnery, carving, decorative flooring, tool handles[, , , ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, otherwise there can be problems with dormancy[]. Fresh, mature, healthy seed usually germinates reasonably well, though the germination percentage tends to be low, at 30 - 40%, and uneven- it is usually extended over a period of 2 - 3 months but even in fresh seed can take as long as 2 years from sowing[].
He seed is collected and cleaned of all pulp - soaking in water for 2 days makes removal easier[].

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