Bubinga, Kevazingo
Guibourtia tessmannii

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Guibourtia tessmannii is a large tree of about 65m tall and up to 200 cm in diameter with thin, irregular, high buttresses. It is commonly found in west tropical Africa. The wood is heavy to very heavy, hard to very hard, durable, and resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It is very decorative and is often used for veneers, high class furniture, cabinet work, turnery, flooring, stairs, heavy carpentry, etc.

Guibourtia tessmannii is an evergreen Tree growing to 50 m (164ft) by 35 m (114ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. 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 moist soil.

Height (m): 50

Where it is found

Scattered but relatively abundant in Aucoumea, Sacoglottis forest; Maranthaceae forest; growing on firm ground.

West tropical Africa - southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Cameroon; Congo; Gabon; Nigeria

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses: The heartwood is a pink or reddish brown with some fine, purplish-red veins and some brown veins; it is clearly demarcated from the 2 - 8cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked, sometimes wavy. The wood is heavy to very heavy; hard to very hard; moderately to very elastic; durable, being resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is poorly stable in service. The wood has a high blunting effect - stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; care is needed when working with interlocked grains; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring; gluing is correct for internal purposes only and needs to be done with care because the wood is dry and smooth. The wood is very decorative and is often used for veneers, it is also used to make high class furniture, cabinet work, turnery, flooring, stairs, heavy carpentry, joinery, panelling, railway sleepers etc.

Furniture: A few miscellaneous uses that do not fit easily into other headings.

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

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

Not known

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

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

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Bubinga, Kevazingo

Synonyms

Copaifera tessmannii Harms