Common Name:

General Information

Philenoptera violacea is an evergreen or deciduous tree with a rounded crown; it usually grows 5 - 21 metres tall, occasionally reaching 27 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. It can be used as a pioneer species in reforestation projects, and is often grown as an ornamental in gardens, where it is prized especially for its dense foliage, evergreen bushcrowns, profusion of fragrant flowers and graceful growth[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern Africa - southern Angola, southern DR Congo and southern Tanzania, south to Namibia and S. Africa

Habitat

Characteristic of major river drainage systems, deciduous woodland; wooded grassland; riverine forest; in drier areas often in zones of local water-catchment at base of scarps, along water-courses and on hardpans[]

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants can tolerate a few degrees of frost[].
Grows best in a sunny position in a well-drained soil[].
Plants are very sensitive to fire[].
A fairly fast-growing plant[].
The plant is easily cultivated in gardens[].
A good bee plant - the flowers are very fragrant and the abundant nectar readily attracts bees[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots are used to treat stomach disorders, hookworms, and coughs[]..

Agroforestry Uses:

A good pioneer species, fast-growing and fixing atmospheric nitrogen, it is used in reforestation projects and could be used when establishing a woodland garden[, ].
A good bee plant - the flowers are very fragrant and the abundant nectar readily attracts bees[].
Where growing wild, the tree is known to be a reliable indicator of ground water[].

Other Uses

The roots are a source of rotenone, which is widely used as an insecticide[]. Rotenone is effective against a range of horticultural pests, such as aphids and caterpillars, and also against external body parasites like ticks, lice, fleas and flies. It is reported to be ineffective against bedbugs, cockroaches, scale insects and red spiders.[, , ]. This species is unlikely to produce enough rotenone to make it worthwhile for commercial production.

The wood is strong, fairly hard and heavy, and is used for making grain mortars and tool handles[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown fresh, when pre-treatment is not necessary[].

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