Kampala Tree and Palm Directory

Tree Species
Common Name
Tree Description
Tree Uses

English: African breadfruit, wild jackfruit Luganda: Muzinda.

+ Tree Species

Treculia africana

+ Tree Family

Moraceae

+ Ecology

African breadfruit is from tropical Africa, from Senegal to Angola and Mozambique. A fruit tree of riverine forest in tropical Africa, Madagascar and Tanzania, 0-1,200 m. A rare species in Uganda, it is usually found near streams or in swampy areas in forests up to 1,500 m. It is not very light demanding and will grow in a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions. In Kampala, this tree species can be found within Kitante courts.

+ Description

An evergreen tree 15-30 m, up to 50 m, with a dense spreading crown and a fluted trunk. It can attain a diameter of 90 cm.

BARK: grey, smooth, thick, exuding white latex when cut, which later turns rusty-red.

LEAVES: simple, alternate, very large, about 30 x 14 cm (up to 50 x 20 cm), dark green, smooth above, tough, paler below with some hairs on the 10-18 pairs of clear veins, tip pointed, a short stalk to 1.5 cm. Young leaves red or yellow.

FLOWERS: flower head brown-yellow, rounded, 2.5-10.0 cm across, male and female usually separate, growing beside leaves (axillary) or on older wood down to the trunk.

 FRUIT: compound, rounded, very large, up to 30 cm across, on the trunk or main branches, containing many orange seeds, about 1 cm, buried in spongy pulp of the fruit. The outer surface is covered with rough pointed outgrowths.

+ Uses

Edible: seeds can be eaten as dessert nuts after roasting or boiling, ground into a meal, used in soups and to produce a variety of baked foods such as bread and paste, a non-alcoholic beverage (almond milk) can be prepared from the powdered seeds, edible oil can be extracted from the seed. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Treculia+africana

Medicine: roots, sap, and bark. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Treculia+africana

Agroforestry: used in soil conservation programs, leaf fall is a good source of mulch, promising species for use in home gardens, and for intercropping systems, provides fodder

Provides timber which is suitable for furniture, carving, turnery and inlay wood, pulp and papermaking.

The wood is used for fuel and making charcoal.

An ornamental tree.

+ Propagation

Seeds, cuttings.

+ Management

Fairly fast growing. Pollarding and coppicing

+ Remarks

A tree with potential to be grown in valleys and riverine areas. It could be domesticated on farmlands or planted as an avenue tree. The seeds can be dried, fried and eaten. The antioxidants in breadfruit provide an effective shield against sun rays and sun damage. It also encourages the growth of new cells to make the damaged skin appear smooth and young.



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