African Peach
Nauclea latifolia

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

African Peach or Nauclea latifolia is a deciduous flowering plant with an open canopy and growing up to 9 m tall. It has small branches that are thick and drooping. The bark is dark gray, fibrous, and cracked. The leaves are shiny green, oval, and rounded at the base but pointed at the tip. The flowers are white-yellow and occur in a single rounded heads. It can be cooked and consumed as vegetable. The fruit is a compound fruit, red or pinkish, and round consisting of very small seeds. Its pulp is deep red, watery, and has a sweet flavor. African Peach is used against various medical conditions such as diabetes, fever, indigestion, and cough. It can also be used as windbreak and/or planted for soil conservation. Leaves can be used as mulch and small twigs as chewing sticks. Roots yield yellow dye. Wood is termite-resistant and used for inlay work and fuel. Nauclea latifolia Sm. is now known to be a synonym of Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A.Bruce

Nauclea latifolia is a deciduous Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Butterflies. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Dry savannah and thickets. A savannah shrub sometimes found in undisturbed fringing forest and closed savannah woodland.

West tropical Africa - Ghana to Gabon and DR Congo.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Equatorial Guinea; Angola; Benin; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Mali; Mauritania; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Togo; Uganda; Sao Tomé and Principe. Africa, Angola, Asia, Central Africa, East Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda, West Africa,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw. The pulp is deep red, watery, sweet with a taste of ripe apple. The fruit is said to resemble a strawberry in taste and texture. The globose fruit is about 8cm in diameter. Flower heads - cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Medicine

Rating: 4

Used in the treatment of diabetes. The root is febrifuge and tonic. It is used in the treatment of fevers, indigestion. The fruit is eaten as a cure for coughs. The alkaloid strictosamine is obtained from the roots, leaves and stem bark. Researchers have reported that Tramadol (an opioid pain medication) was found in relatively high concentrations (1%+) in the roots of the Nauclea latifolia. This is now reported to be the result of Tramadol being administered to cattle by farmers. Radiocarbon analysis has confirmed that tramadol could not be plant-derived and was of synthetic origin (wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramadol).

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Hypoglycaemic: Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.

Other

Rating: 2

Agroforestry Uses: A suitable species for planting schemes for conservation and soil stabilization. The tree offers shade and acts as a windbreak. It is used as a live stake to provide barriers in farms. The leaves are used as a mulch. Other Uses Small twigs are used as chewing sticks. The bark is a source of tannins. A yellow dye is obtained from the roots. The heartwood is dark red-brown, hard and moderately heavy. The wood is resistant to termites. It is used for inlay work. The wood is used for fuel.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Mulch: Used for covering the ground to conserve the nutrients in the soil.

Shelterbelt: Wind resistant plants than can be grown to provide shelter in the garden etc.

Soil stabilization: Plants that can be grown in places such as sand dunes in order to prevent erosion by wind, water or other agents.

Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.

Teeth: Plants used to clean and care for the teeth.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Coppice: A traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down.

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Plants grow in hot tropical climates, where they are found at elevations from sea level to around 200 metres. They grow best in areas where the mean annual temperature is around 27°c. They succeed in a range of moisture conditions from fairly dry savannah to moist forest, preferring a mean annual rainfall around 2,700mm. Plants are tolerant of a range of soils, preferring a position in full sun. Established plants are very drought tolerant. Seedlings commence fruiting when about 5 - 6 years old. The flowers are extremely fragrant. Plants respond well to coppicing.

Propagating it: Seed - usually sown in situ. The seed is said to germinate more quickly and reliably if it first passes through the gut of a baboon. Cuttings of greenwood. Layering.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

African Peach, Angatu, Chipoka, Dhiot, Ebolo, Goat, Gongan, Gounge, Guinea peach, Karmadodah, Kwomo, Logotomic, Miaar, Monyo, Mutma, Nauclea, Negro-peach, Pincushion, Rata-bakmi, Sukisia, african cinchona, african quinine, akabi awotso, banampe, bari, baro, bati country fi g, brampe, country fig, country-fig, daindaté, dikabiatso, doundake, doundaké, ebele, ebeliodole, ebolo, edoil, egbesi, egbessi root, ekomokoi, ekusiawa, eomokoi, eutukidole, galun gun, guinea peach, guineapeach fathead tree, gulun gun, hwene hwenti, kankanu, katama, kina du rio nunez, kisia, kuru kuntu, kusia, lago, molo, munyu, mutamatama, mutma, nauclea, negro peach, nemo, njimo, nyimo, opepe, osupuwa, owentin, oyefa oshwefa, oyefa tshofa, peachroot, peyae biasa, pêcher africain, sarcocephalus latifolius, sierra leone peach, sierra leone-peach, supaka, tafashia, tafashia. telede, tshofa tshuru, woacroolie root, wuacruli.

Synonyms

Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A.Bruce. Cephalina esculenta (Afzel. ex Sabine) Schumach. & Thonn. Nauclea esculenta (Afzel. ex Sabine) Merr.