Summary: Afzelia africana (African mahogany) is a plant in the Fabaceae family. Verdica documents 0 traditional uses, 0 phytochemical compounds, and 0 herb-drug interactions for this species.
A deciduous tree in the Fabaceae family that can grow up to 10 – 25 meters tall and up to 40cm in diameter, African mahogany or Lucky bean tree (Aflezia africana) is known for its very good quality wood that can be used as substitute for mahogany. The fruits, particularly the fleshy pulp in the seedpod or the aril, and leaves are edible. The seed is poisonous but contains 31% oil and have potential for industrial use. African Mahogany has medicinal purposes and is used in traditional medicine as laxative, analgesic, antihaemorrhagic, febrifuge, aprhrodisiac, emmenagogue, and emetic. It is also used in local medicine for treating digestive problems and for general pain relief. Its bark is used as a fish poison. However through the process of decoction and infusion, it can be used for treating malaria, rheumatism, paralysis and constipation. Other plant parts like pulp, roots and leaves have medicinal purposes as well. Further, the leaves are used to enrich the soil as it is rich in nitrogen. As for other uses, dried seedpods are used as musical instrument, and the burnt pods are rich in potash and used locally for manufacturing soap.
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | Moderate — drought tolerant once established |
| Soil | Well-drained; nitrogen-fixing — minimal fertilizer needed |
| Hardiness Zone | Varies widely (USDA 2-11) |
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