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Maesopsis
Maesopsis is a genus with a single species, the umbrella tree (Maesopsis eminii), a large, fast-growing tree from tropical Africa that is widely planted for shade, timber and forest regeneration. It is a tree for open ground or plantations rather than a houseplant.
Maesopsis eminii, the umbrella tree, is a species of tree in the family Rhamnaceae found in tropical Africa. It is the only species in the genus Maesopsis. It is often grown as a plantation tree, and as a shade tree in coffee plantations and other crops. Birds and monkeys may disperse the seeds. Since this tree grows fast it is often used for regeneration of destroyed forest lands. Its timber is used for construction and firewood and its leaves for animal fodder.
Maesopsis eminii is native to much of West and Central Africa, its range extending from Liberia, the Congo and Angola to Uganda. It has become established in Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. It was introduced into the Usambara Mountains in eastern Tanzania between 1930 and 1970, where it became an invasive species in the submontane rainforest, now being the dominant species of tree there. It is a pioneer species, found in humid forests, colonising cleared areas and flourishing as secondary growth. It is often present in the border zone between savannah and forest.
Maesopsis eminii is a useful timber tree. The sapwood is pale and the heartwood is olive-brown to deep red. It is used for poles, boxes and crates but is susceptible to damage by termites and to rotting when in continual contact with wet ground. The wood is used for fuel and the foliage for fodder. The tree is planted to provide shade for such crops as coffee, cocoa and cardamom, and is often grown domestically in gardens for the same purpose.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Maesopsis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
