Fabaceae-Caesalpinaceae
Paramacrolobium coeruleum
Mkwe
Canopy/Emergment Tree
94 small available right now.
About
This evergreen tree can reach heights of 5-40 metres, featuring a spreading crown and often buttressed at the base. Its leaves are characterised by glabrous, falcate leaflets with a prominent, close vein network. It produces yellow, pea-like flowers, which develop into flat, brown, bean-like pods. The species is typically found in lowland evergreen and gallery forests across tropical Africa, including Kenya.
Where it works in Kilifi
As a large canopy or emergent tree, Paramacrolobium coeruleum is ideal for extensive landscape projects or forest restoration in the Kilifi coast region, providing substantial shade. It thrives in full sun within moist, tropical conditions, reflecting its natural habitat in lowland rainforests and gallery forests up to 525 metres elevation.
Growing notes
Requiring moist conditions, this species is well-suited to the humid coastal climate once established. While no specific hazards are known for the live tree, research on its growth rate is still recommended.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: theferns.info, prota4u.org, jstor.org. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.