6. Mexican Ash (Fraxinus Pennsylvanica) . Yes, another Mexican one. Well muchachos, this is a big one with dark cracked bark. It’s not an exciting tree – good for general timber, posts and fuel. But you can depend on it to break (the) wind.
7. Trichilia (Trichilia Spp). Ever heard of this? AKA Cape Mahogany. Sound more familiar? These babies get big, although my one is quite young. They are great for all sorts of things. You can make soap out of the oil from the seeds. The timber is good for light indoor furniture, as well as poles posts and fuel. If you are a human its seeds could poison you, however if you are a baboon or other monkey you will love them! Plus, the oil treats cuts and bruises, the roots and bark are good for fevers, the leaves and fruit help ease bruises, cuts and eczema, and the seed oil relieves rheumatism. Also, the bark, roots and leaves are traditionally used for intestinal problems, plus dysentery, kidney problems, and parasite infestation. This is a useful tree! And it’s local!!
8. Jacaranda (Jacaranda Mimosifolia). Got a couple of these. At the right time of year its mauve-blue bell-shaped flowers come out in spectacular style – I’ll post when it happens. From Brazil originally but they are all over Africa these days. I’ve been to at least two African cities that call themselves the ‘purple city’ because of these trees, and I bet there are lots more.
9. Bastard Myrobalan (Terminalia Bellirica). Not a very nice name, but quite a nice tree, full of mysticism. It’s used to line avenues all over South East Asia because of its size and grandeur. Apparently its oil also has potential as a source of bio-diesel. Some tribes in India get high by smoking the kernels, and other bits of it are good as a laxative or for sore throats. Hindus also claim that the nuts of this true were used as dice in the Mahabharata, but they won’t sit under the tree as they believe it is full of demons!
10. Peacock Flower (Albizia Gummifera). A local tree, known as Mcani Mbao in Swahili. The bark can ease malaria, the pods cure stomach-ache, the roots are crushed for skin disease, the powdered bark makes a snuff for headaches, and the bark can also be made into an infusion for inflamation of the eyes. And the flowers – yes, they look like peacock feathers! When the season’s right, I’ll show you.
JohnVBradshaw 