Botanical Name: Cordyla africana
Common Name: Wild Mango, Mtondo, Mutondo
Plant Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family) Papilionoideae
Growth Form, Habitat and Distribution: large deciduous (or sometimes semi-deciduous) tree with a wide spreading crown, branching often at a low height. Occurs in riverine woodland at low altitudes across Zambia. In the South Luangwa National Park the Cordyla africana is the first to have bright green leaves. Beautiful sweet smelling flowers which are sprays of orange/yellow from Jul to October. A semi-fleshy, ovoid, green-yellow fruit (4 to 8cm) ripening to bright yellow on the ground. Fruit contains 1 or 2 large seeds that can germinate in it, November to May.
Size: Height: up to 25m, spread up to 20m.
Uses: The fruit has a high Vitamin C content and are eaten fresh, or cooked. Elephants relish the fresh fruit. The wood is used for canoes and drums.