Common Name:

General Information

Spirostachys africana is a several-stemmed, much-branched deciduous shrub or sometimes a tree with a rounded crown and drooping stems; it usually grows up to 9 metres tall, but exceptionally can reach 18 metres[, ].
The tree is very highly valued for its attractive wood and is commonly harvested from the wild. The tree also has local medicinal uses.
This species is heavily exploited for its wood in the wild. It has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but has been granted 'Protected' status in S. Africa[].

Known Hazards

The plant produces a copious, caustic, milky latex that, upon contact, causes damage to the skin or blindness[, ]. It is sometimes used to sturefy fish[].
The sawdust of fresh wood and the sap are highly irritant[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, S. Africa.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland, bushland; wooded grassland; Colophospermum mopane or mixed woodlands; sometimes in thickets; locally common and usually gregarious; the largest trees occur near streams and seasonal watercourse; elevations from 30 - 1,350 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	7.50 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics. The tree can tolerate at least some frost[].
Requires a moist soil for best growth[]. Succeeds in a wide range of soils[]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant[].
A very slow-growing tree[].
The seeds often become infested with the larvae of a small grey moth which cause the seeds to spring several centimeters into the air similar to the 'jumping beans' of some South American Hippomaneae (Sebastiania spp., Colliguaya spp.)[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Although the latex is very toxic to humans it does have traditional medicinal uses; a drop of the fresh latex, for example, is applied to a painful tooth as painkiller[].

The bark is used to treat stomach pains, but large dosages will cause damage to the internal organs[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a dark brown; the sapwood creamy white[]. The wood is hard and durable[]. It is easily worked, stable and contains an oil which helps to give a beautiful finish. The quality of the heartwood and its scent are like those of the Indian sandalwood (Santalum album). A beautifully figured and very ornamental wood, it is much sought after for furniture making and is a very popular material for traditional carving and making local crafts such as beads and decorative sticks[, , ]. It has been suggested that this may have been the 'algum' wood from 'Ophir' as used in King Solomon’s Palace and the Hebrew Temple[].
The wood is not suitable as a fuel because the smoke is toxic; it will also cause diarrhoea if food is roasted on the wood and then eaten[].

Propagation

Seed - it needs to be harvested before being fully ripe because otherwise most of the seeds will be parasitized[]. Surface sow the seed in a nursery seedbed or containers, pushing it gently into the top of the compost and do not allow it to become to dry[].

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