Aucoumea klaineana

Cultivation Details

Okoumé is a plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,400 metres. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is within the range 23 - 26°c, with a mean maximum temperatures of the hottest month 32 - 36°c, and mean minimum temperature in the coldest month 10 - 15°c^[1]. It requires a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 3,000mm, and a marked dry season (less than 50 mm/month) of around 3 - 4 months^[1]. Requires a sunny position, though young plants can survive for some years in shady positions^[1]. Succeeds on a wide range of acid soils (such as ferralitic arenosols, ferralitic soils, podzoluvisols) developed on various substrates. It can grow on infertile sandy soils but prefers fertile, deep sandyclayloams. It can tolerate a certain degree of impeded drainage, but not long periods of waterlogging^[1]. A relatively fast growing tree, faster even than Guarea cedrata^[2]. Trees reach an average height of about 10 metres in their first 4 years; from the age of 10 to 50 years, the growth rate of dominant trees is about 1 metre per year, and eventually they can reach a height of about 50 metres. Suppressed trees grow very slowly, only reaching about 15 metres in 50 years^[1]. Growth in bole diameter is variable and depends on age, stand density, site fertility, hierarchical position of the tree and thinning rates. In coastal Gabon, bole diameters of 30 - 80cm after 50 - 60 years for dominant trees and 10 - 40cm for suppressed trees have been recorded^[1]. A shallow-rooted species, with virtually no taproot^[1]. When around 6 - 12 years old, populations become organized into 'biological cells' through joining root grafts. When 10 - 25 years old, natural and planted populations segregate into dominant and suppressed trees^[1]. Trees start to flower when they are about 10 years old, but fruiting only begins after 15 years^[1]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required^[3].