Cape mahogany

Trichilia emetica (T. roka)

Indigenous

Standard/Trade name: Trichilia

Cape Mahogany, also known as Trichilia, is an indigenous evergreen tree reaching heights of 15-30 meters. Its dark hanging foliage forms a pyramid shape when young, later rounding into a heavy crown. The bark starts grey-red-brown, becoming rough and revealing green underbark as it scales. Its compound leaves feature a central leaflet, up to 16 cm long, with a distinctive hairy tip on the midrib below. Inconspicuous fragrant cream-green flowers cluster amidst its branches, giving way to round, red-brown hairy capsules that split into 3-4 parts to release shiny black seeds, each adorned with a soft orange-red aril.

Uses: Cape Mahogany serves various purposes including firewood, furniture, poles, posts, tool handles, carvings, boat building, medicine (from bark and roots), fodder, bee forage, shade, ornamental purposes, soil conservation, windbreak, veterinary medicine, oil extraction from seeds, and soap production from leaves. Additionally, it is suitable for coppicing.

Notes: It’s important to note that the seeds of Cape Mahogany are extremely poisonous. However, the tree is highly esteemed in central Kenya. Its leaves possess some soapy properties, and its pink-grey-brown wood, although light, is susceptible to insect attacks. The crushed seeds yield an oil used to protect beehives from wood borers and ants. This same oil serves as a skin moisturizer for the Tharaka people. Beehives are often suspended in the canopy of Cape Mahogany trees, yielding high-quality honey.