Broad-leaved croton
Croton macrostachyus
Family: Euphorbiaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 25 m high. It loses its leaves for a short time. The crown is rounded and open with spreading branches. The bark is pale grey and finely cracked. The leaves are large and green. They turn orange before they fall. They are oval with a rounded base and taper to the tip. There can be teeth along the edge. The leaves are 5-19 cm long by 4015 cm wide. The leaves are on long stalks crowded at the ends of small branches. The flowers are yellow to white and have a sweet scent. The male and female flowers are on separate shoots. They are in erect spikes. The male flowering shoots are 25 cm long. The female shoots are 10 cm long. The fruit are green when young. They are on drooping spikes 10 cm long. They have 3 lobes.
Probably edible. The leaves are used as fodder for animals.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows near the edges of forests and in gaps in the forests. In Malawi it grows from about 1,000-2,250 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinée, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
Caution: Seeds are poisonous. The young shoots are cooked and eaten.
Edible parts
Spice, shoots, leaves
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds germinate in 30-60 days.
Its other names
Local names
Bisana, Ciwalika, Islami, Itambukh, Mbwani, Mtutu, Musogasoga, Shekeshek, Tambukh, Umubonobono