Euphorbiaceae
Alchornea laxiflora
Three-veined bead string
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Not currently in the nursery
We can propagate most native species on request — get in touch to discuss timeline and quantity.
About
Alchornea laxiflora is a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically growing 1–10 metres high, with smooth, pale grey or brown, flaking bark. Its alternate leaves are elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 5–17 cm long, 3-nerved from the base, with shallowly crenate-serrate margins, and turn attractive yellow or red in the dry season. The plant produces unisexual flowers and dark green, brown, or black three-lobed capsules containing three seeds.
Where it works in Kilifi
This species thrives in evergreen forests, bushland, and riverine thickets near the coast, suggesting it is suitable for Kilifi gardens in partial shade to full sun. It can be used as a specimen shrub, for informal hedging, or in restoration plantings, appreciating well-draining soil.
Growing notes
A deciduous plant, Alchornea laxiflora is generally unproblematic, with no known hazards. Once established, it is likely to be moderately drought-tolerant given its natural habitat in seasonally dry tropical biomes and riverine thickets.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: greeninstitute.ng, prota4u.org, kew.org, jstor.org, scispace.com, nih.gov. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.