Summary: Milicia excelsa (African Teak) is a plant in the Moraceae family. Verdica documents 0 traditional uses, 0 phytochemical compounds, and 0 herb-drug interactions for this species.
Milicia excelsa or African Teak is a nitrogen-fixing tree that can also be used as a shade tree. It is large and deciduous, growing up to 50 m high and 350 cm in trunk diameter. The trunk is often buttressed and can be branchless for up to 20 m. The crown is wide and flat. The bark is pale, thick, and produces milky latex once damaged. The leaves are green, long, and ovate with toothed edges. The fruits are green, wrinkled, long, and fleshy. African Teak is threatened by habitat loss. It is one of the two species producing timber known as iroko. Iroko is used for construction, furniture, flooring, panelling, etc. As herbal medicine, various plant parts of African Teak are used in the treatment of a wide range of conditions such as coughs, heart problems, inflammation, female sterility, asthma, stomach pain, abdominal pain, wounds, scabies, diarrhea, dysentery, and skin problems. The fruits are edible and the fruit juice is used for flavoring. Young leaves are cooked.
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | High — needs consistently wet conditions |
| Soil | Well-drained |
| Hardiness Zone | USDA 10-12 |
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