Tree with positive Vibes 🫶🏾… Kumukhonge (terminalia mollis)

Derivation of the name: Khuko - path, way, trail, to follow faithfully and firm. Kumukhongelesia - to foster good relations and unity.

Natural habitat and distribution in Bungoma: Habitat: open woodland and wet savanna, occurring at medium altitude. Distribution: Common in woodland and wooded grassland, on rocky hillsides, abundant in cultivated fields. The tree is becoming a rare species due to charcoal burning and over exploitation.

Description: Bark grey-black, fissured. Leaves slightly hairy, spirally arranged, elliptic or obovate, 16-37 cm by 7-19 cm, densely tomentose beneath. Flowers white cream, in axillary spikes to 8cm long. Fruit 2-winged, yellow-green.

Physical features: Shape: medium to large sized tree up to 15 m high, rarely staight growth. Crown: tapering to oval, no layered appearance. Foliage: dense, big leafed, intensive shade, deciduous.

Biological features: Mulch: Very good mulch  quality, abundant litter fall. The leaves decompose rather slowly .

Tree/crop association: no interference with crops, associated with all types of crops. Kumukhonge its the most appreciated tree for intercroping.

Rooting system: very strong deep roots and few spreading roots.

Biomass production: slow-growing species.

Other characteristics: relatively drought resistant, fire resistant, termite resistant, tolerant to trampling, tolerant to strong wind, unpleasant scent, not attractive to grazing animals, wood very heavy and durable.

Reproduction: very high natural reproduction ability, seedlings are found in high numbers in cultivated land, grazing land and fallow land.

Management: Lopping and pollarding in 4-6 m height, polific but slow regrowth, pruning of roots in cultivated land.

Ecological benefits: soil improvement, soil fixation, diversity aspect.

Tree product and use: charcoal, firewood, mulch, posts, tool, handle for knife and hoe, timber for furniture, building and construction, wheel for ox-cart, granary, gates.

Medicinal application: Roots: rashes, stomach-ache, STD, diarrhoea, menstrual pain, endwasi.