Trema orientalis
(L.) Blume
African elm, Tree Peach, Woolly Cedar
(c) Reuben Heydenrych, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Kevin Faccenda, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) Sonia S, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Fruit, Vegetable
The leaves and fruit are reported to be eaten in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It needs good rainfall. It grows in tropical regions. It is light demanding. It can grow on thin poor soils. It grows in areas with an annual between 100-1,600 mm. It grows below 2,100 m above sea level. It can grow in acid soils. It can grow in arid places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Africa, Andamans, Angola, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Reunion, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A straight slender tree. It grows to 10 m high. The trunk is 15-20 cm across. It may or may not lose its leaves during the year. The leaves have 3 conspicuous veins from the base. The leaves are heart shaped and with 3 veins. The leaves are often widest at the base. Leaves are often 6-15 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. There are fine teeth along the edge of the leaf. The leaves are rough and hairy when young. The flowers are small, green and no easily seen. They occur in short dense bunches. Mostly male and female flowers occur separately. The fruit are small and round and black. They are 4-6 mm across.
Nutrition Score: 53/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | 74.1 | 452 | 108 | 4.5 | — | 51.5 | — | 0.6 |
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. Seeds germinate easily. They can also be grown by cuttings.
Propagation: To break dormancy, store seed at 2°C for 3–4 months before sowing. Seeds require high light intensity for germination, and the germination rate is around 30%. Seed storage behaviour is uncertain; viability can be maintained for 6 months in hermetic storage at room temperature, after which it declines rapidly. The plant can also be propagated from cuttings.
Medicinal Uses
The plant is vermifuge and has known anti-plasmodium properties. Decoctions of both the bark and leaves are used as a gargle, inhalation, drink, lotion, bath, or vapour bath for coughs, sore throat, asthma, bronchitis, gonorrhoea, yellow fever, and toothache. The leaves are reported to act as a general antidote to poisons. A bark infusion is drunk to control dysentery. A tea made from small pieces of roasted wood is also used to treat dysentery.
Other Uses
Charcoal tree has a wide range of agroforestry applications. It is planted as a shade tree in coffee and cocoa plantations and other crops across Asia and Africa. As a common pioneer species, it is among the first trees to establish in clearings, on flood-damaged riverbanks, and on degraded soils. It regenerates readily from its numerous seeds and grows rapidly, making it a frequent coloniser of disturbed rainforest areas. It is widely planted for soil reclamation in southern Asia and helps with soil conservation through rapid growth on disturbed soils. Its mulch improves soil quality, and it is a common fallow species in shifting cultivation systems. Note that charcoal tree can serve as a reservoir for defoliating insect pests, potentially putting nearby economically important plants at risk. A fibre from the bark is used for making cords and ropes. The seed contains a dark green fixed oil. The bark yields both a black dye and a brown dye, and the inner bark is rubbed onto ropes to blacken and preserve them. A coffee-coloured dye is obtained from the leaves. The bark and leaves contain saponin and tannin. The wood is off-white or tinged with pink, fine-grained, soft, light, and of low durability; it is used for panel products, poles, and drumsticks. The tree is suited to paper and pulp production — paper made from it has good tensile strength and folding endurance. It also provides firewood and charcoal of sufficient quality for making gunpowder and fireworks.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Trema orientalis is a fast-growing evergreen tree reaching 12 m in height and spread, hardy to UK zone 10. It tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with well-drained conditions and grows across mildly acidic to very alkaline and saline pH ranges. The tree requires full sun exposure and prefers moist soil. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen.
Production
It is fast growing but short lived.
Notes
It fixes nitrogen so improves soil fertility. It is used in medicine. Also put in the family Ulmaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Ama, Ambaratthi, Anabiong, Anggrung, Bendarong, Buanhonho, Budamuru, Bumlo, Camile, Chakamaanu, Charcoal tree, Chenkolam, Chikan, Fuleti, Gaddanelli, Gio, Gol, Gorklu, Gunpowder tree, Hophout, Hu day, Indian nettle tree, Jhau, Jiban, Jibon, Jivani, Jivanti, Jiwanti, Kaakamushti, Kapashi, Kargol, Kasisa, Kharkas, Kidia nuni, Kiwandu kimfinda, Korunhale, Kuray, Kywe-sa, Lifimbe, Magele, M'pelo, M'peso, Mafet, Malantotali, Menarong, Mengkirai, Mezendenguenia, Mgendagenda, Mpesi, Mukurukuru, Mundia nuni, Mupama, Musonsoli, Mwezi, Narong paya, Narong, Nonha, Nsakasaka, Paw fan, Paw hek, Paw teng, Peci, Pigeonwood, Pohon mengkirai, Quere, Ranambada, Ratthi, Rubta-kabafar, Satsha, Sesea, Thehoi, Umbalakacane, Umbengele, Umphahla, Umudoboori, Umvumu, Uphokane
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