African Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) is one of Africa's most valuable timber trees, producing a rich, reddish-brown wood that rivals the famed American mahogany in beauty and workability. A majestic canopy tree of the African savanna and dry forest, it combines commercial importance with deep cultural significance across West and Central Africa.
• The genus name Khaya derives from the Arabic name for the tree, reflecting its importance in Sahelian commerce
• The species epithet "senegalensis" refers to Senegal, where the species was first formally described
• One of several African species traded as "African mahogany," alongside K. ivorensis, K. anthotheca, and K. grandifoliola
• Wood is sometimes called "Benin mahogany," "Gambia mahogany," or "Senegal mahogany" depending on the country of origin
• Bark is so extensively harvested for traditional medicine that many wild populations have been severely depleted
Khaya senegalensis is native to sub-Saharan Africa, distributed across a broad band from Senegal and Guinea in the west to Uganda and western Kenya in the east, extending southward through the Sahel and Sudanian savanna zones.
• Found in approximately 20 African countries from coast to coast
• Occurs in dry savanna woodland, wooded grassland, and along riverbanks and gallery forests in the Sahelian and Sudanian vegetation zones
• Often one of the dominant canopy trees in the transitional zone between semi-arid Sahel and humid savanna
• Grows at elevations from sea level to approximately 1,500 meters
• The species tolerates drier conditions than other Khaya species, making it the most widely distributed member of the genus
• First described scientifically by Auguste Nicolas Vaillant and Emmanuel Drake del Castillo
• African mahogany has been traded internationally since the 16th century, when Portuguese merchants exported it to Europe for furniture making
• Extensively planted as an ornamental shade tree in cities throughout West Africa and in tropical countries worldwide
• Found in approximately 20 African countries from coast to coast
• Occurs in dry savanna woodland, wooded grassland, and along riverbanks and gallery forests in the Sahelian and Sudanian vegetation zones
• Often one of the dominant canopy trees in the transitional zone between semi-arid Sahel and humid savanna
• Grows at elevations from sea level to approximately 1,500 meters
• The species tolerates drier conditions than other Khaya species, making it the most widely distributed member of the genus
• First described scientifically by Auguste Nicolas Vaillant and Emmanuel Drake del Castillo
• African mahogany has been traded internationally since the 16th century, when Portuguese merchants exported it to Europe for furniture making
• Extensively planted as an ornamental shade tree in cities throughout West Africa and in tropical countries worldwide
Khaya senegalensis is a large, semi-deciduous tree with a dense, rounded crown and a tall, straight trunk.
Size and habit:
• Typically grows 20 to 35 meters tall, occasionally reaching 40 meters under optimal conditions
• Trunk is straight and cylindrical, 0.5 to 1.5 meters in diameter, often buttressed at the base in large specimens
• Bark is dark gray to brown, rough, scaly, and fissured, with a characteristically bitter taste due to limonoid compounds
• Crown is dense, rounded, and dark green, providing deep shade
Leaves:
• Large, pinnately compound, 15 to 40 cm long, with 4 to 6 pairs of leaflets
• Leaflets are leathery, glossy dark green, oblong to elliptical, 5 to 15 cm long and 3 to 6 cm wide
• New leaves emerge a distinctive bright coppery-red before maturing to green
Flowers:
• Small, creamy-white to yellowish, in large, branched axillary panicles
• Flowers are fragrant and attract numerous insects
• Blooming occurs during the dry season when the tree may be partially or fully leafless
Fruit:
• Large, woody, spherical capsules 4 to 8 cm in diameter
• Capsules split open from the base into 4 to 5 segments when mature
• Each capsule contains numerous winged seeds that are dispersed by wind
• Fruit takes 6 to 8 months to mature
Size and habit:
• Typically grows 20 to 35 meters tall, occasionally reaching 40 meters under optimal conditions
• Trunk is straight and cylindrical, 0.5 to 1.5 meters in diameter, often buttressed at the base in large specimens
• Bark is dark gray to brown, rough, scaly, and fissured, with a characteristically bitter taste due to limonoid compounds
• Crown is dense, rounded, and dark green, providing deep shade
Leaves:
• Large, pinnately compound, 15 to 40 cm long, with 4 to 6 pairs of leaflets
• Leaflets are leathery, glossy dark green, oblong to elliptical, 5 to 15 cm long and 3 to 6 cm wide
• New leaves emerge a distinctive bright coppery-red before maturing to green
Flowers:
• Small, creamy-white to yellowish, in large, branched axillary panicles
• Flowers are fragrant and attract numerous insects
• Blooming occurs during the dry season when the tree may be partially or fully leafless
Fruit:
• Large, woody, spherical capsules 4 to 8 cm in diameter
• Capsules split open from the base into 4 to 5 segments when mature
• Each capsule contains numerous winged seeds that are dispersed by wind
• Fruit takes 6 to 8 months to mature
Khaya senegalensis is a vital component of African savanna and dry forest ecosystems.
Habitat:
• Dry savanna woodland, wooded grassland, and gallery forests along watercourses
• Often found in areas with 500 to 1,500 mm annual rainfall
• Grows on a variety of soils including sandy, lateritic, and rocky substrates
• Tolerates seasonal flooding and extended dry periods
Ecological role:
• Large canopy provides important shade and habitat for birds, bats, and arboreal mammals
• Flowers are an important nectar source for bees — African mahogany honey is highly valued
• Winged seeds are dispersed by wind over considerable distances
• Supports epiphytic orchids, ferns, and lichens in humid areas
• Leaf litter enriches soil organic matter
• Provides nesting sites for large birds including raptors and hornbills
• Important component of riparian corridors that serve as wildlife movement pathways
• Young trees are browsed by antelope and elephants
Habitat:
• Dry savanna woodland, wooded grassland, and gallery forests along watercourses
• Often found in areas with 500 to 1,500 mm annual rainfall
• Grows on a variety of soils including sandy, lateritic, and rocky substrates
• Tolerates seasonal flooding and extended dry periods
Ecological role:
• Large canopy provides important shade and habitat for birds, bats, and arboreal mammals
• Flowers are an important nectar source for bees — African mahogany honey is highly valued
• Winged seeds are dispersed by wind over considerable distances
• Supports epiphytic orchids, ferns, and lichens in humid areas
• Leaf litter enriches soil organic matter
• Provides nesting sites for large birds including raptors and hornbills
• Important component of riparian corridors that serve as wildlife movement pathways
• Young trees are browsed by antelope and elephants
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Population declines of over 30% estimated across the species' range due to overexploitation for timber and bark
• Bark harvesting for traditional medicine has severely damaged wild populations in many West African countries — bark is often stripped entirely around the trunk, girdling and killing the tree
• Natural regeneration is limited in heavily exploited areas
• Logging of large, mature trees has reduced seed production in many populations
• Protected in several national parks and reserves across West and Central Africa
• Cameroon, Ghana, and other countries have implemented logging restrictions and export quotas
• Plantation establishment is increasing in West Africa and in tropical countries including Australia and Fiji
• CITES Appendix III listing proposed for some populations to monitor international trade
• Population declines of over 30% estimated across the species' range due to overexploitation for timber and bark
• Bark harvesting for traditional medicine has severely damaged wild populations in many West African countries — bark is often stripped entirely around the trunk, girdling and killing the tree
• Natural regeneration is limited in heavily exploited areas
• Logging of large, mature trees has reduced seed production in many populations
• Protected in several national parks and reserves across West and Central Africa
• Cameroon, Ghana, and other countries have implemented logging restrictions and export quotas
• Plantation establishment is increasing in West Africa and in tropical countries including Australia and Fiji
• CITES Appendix III listing proposed for some populations to monitor international trade
Planting:
• Propagation from seed, which loses viability quickly — sow fresh seeds within weeks of collection
• No pretreatment required; seeds germinate in 10 to 21 days
• Seedlings grow moderately fast, reaching 30 to 50 cm in 3 to 4 months
• Plant out at the beginning of the rainy season
• Prefers full sun but seedlings benefit from initial light shade
• Tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor, lateritic, and rocky substrates
• Hardy in USDA zones 10 to 12
• Drought-tolerant once established
• Spacing of 3 to 5 meters for timber plantations
• Initial growth is moderate, accelerating after 3 to 5 years
• Prune lower branches to encourage a straight, clean bole
• Can reach harvestable size in 25 to 40 years under good management
• Susceptible to shoot borers (Hypsipyla robusta) which can deform young trees — mixed-species planting helps reduce damage
• Widely planted as a street and park tree in tropical cities
• Propagation from seed, which loses viability quickly — sow fresh seeds within weeks of collection
• No pretreatment required; seeds germinate in 10 to 21 days
• Seedlings grow moderately fast, reaching 30 to 50 cm in 3 to 4 months
• Plant out at the beginning of the rainy season
• Prefers full sun but seedlings benefit from initial light shade
• Tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor, lateritic, and rocky substrates
• Hardy in USDA zones 10 to 12
• Drought-tolerant once established
• Spacing of 3 to 5 meters for timber plantations
• Initial growth is moderate, accelerating after 3 to 5 years
• Prune lower branches to encourage a straight, clean bole
• Can reach harvestable size in 25 to 40 years under good management
• Susceptible to shoot borers (Hypsipyla robusta) which can deform young trees — mixed-species planting helps reduce damage
• Widely planted as a street and park tree in tropical cities
Uses:
• Premium timber — wood is a rich reddish-brown, moderately hard, and easy to work, used for fine furniture, cabinetry, veneer, and paneling
• Excellent boatbuilding timber due to natural durability and dimensional stability
• Used for musical instruments, decorative turning, and carving
• Construction timber for doors, windows, and structural elements in West Africa
• Bark is extensively used in traditional medicine to treat fever, malaria, diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and skin diseases
• Bark extracts contain limonoid compounds with demonstrated antiplasmodial (anti-malaria) properties
• Bark is also used as a bitter flavoring agent in some traditional beverages
• Leaves are used as fodder for livestock during the dry season
• Widely planted as an ornamental shade tree in cities, towns, and along roadsides throughout tropical Africa
• Wood is used for fuelwood and charcoal production
• Seeds yield a fatty oil used for soap-making in some regions
• Planted in agroforestry systems as a shade tree for understory crops
• Premium timber — wood is a rich reddish-brown, moderately hard, and easy to work, used for fine furniture, cabinetry, veneer, and paneling
• Excellent boatbuilding timber due to natural durability and dimensional stability
• Used for musical instruments, decorative turning, and carving
• Construction timber for doors, windows, and structural elements in West Africa
• Bark is extensively used in traditional medicine to treat fever, malaria, diarrhea, intestinal parasites, and skin diseases
• Bark extracts contain limonoid compounds with demonstrated antiplasmodial (anti-malaria) properties
• Bark is also used as a bitter flavoring agent in some traditional beverages
• Leaves are used as fodder for livestock during the dry season
• Widely planted as an ornamental shade tree in cities, towns, and along roadsides throughout tropical Africa
• Wood is used for fuelwood and charcoal production
• Seeds yield a fatty oil used for soap-making in some regions
• Planted in agroforestry systems as a shade tree for understory crops
Wusstest du schon?
African Mahogany bark is one of the most heavily traded medicinal plant products in West Africa — in some markets, it accounts for up to 30% of all traditional medicine sold. The wood contains natural limonoid compounds similar to those found in true mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) that give it resistance to termites and wood-boring insects, and these same compounds are being studied for their anti-cancer properties.
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