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Cola nitida
Malvaceae FAMILY

Cola nitida

Cola nitida

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
4/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthSlow

A plant of the hot, humid, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 800 metres. It can be cultivated in drier areas as long as ground water is available[1]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 21 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 35°c[2]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,400 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 1,200 - 3,500mm[2]. It is capable of withstanding 3 or more months of dry season[1]. Prefers a rich, well-drained soil and a position in full sun[3]. Young trees require some shade[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.3 - 7[2]. Initial growth is slow, with trees reaching only 3 metres in 4 years[1]. Trees start producing at around the age of 12 - 15 years and can produce 10 - 16 kilos of seed annually for more than 80 years[3]. Yields of 300 nuts per tree are considered good[1]. In some regions the tree may flower almost all the time, so harvesting is continuous throughout the year[2].

Propagation

The seeds are thought to require a period of dormancy for effective germination and growth. Pre-soaking for 24 hours can improve the level of germination[4]. Sow the seed individually in containers[5]. Germination is slow, taking 2 - 3 months[1]. Germination within 10 - 18 days has been achieved when the seed was sown at a temperature of 30c[4]. Higher germination levels have been achieved when the cotyledons were parted before sowing[4]. The improved germination could be a result of the removal of this mechanical constraint[4]. Seedlings can be planted out after about 12 months[4]. The seeds are sensitive to drying and low temperatures[4]. They do not tolerate drying to less than c. 30% moisture content. They can be maintained for one year or more without loss in viability, with the seeds wrapped in banana leaves at room temperature.[4]. Cuttings of mature wood[5]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cola+nitida>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Edible Nuts. — Wickens G.E. · FAO, Rome. · 1995 · http://www.fao.org/docrep/ · ISBN 92-5-103748-5 ↩︎Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  2. [2]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  3. [3]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  4. [4]Seed Leaflets — Various · Forest & Landscape. Denmark · http://en.sl.life.ku.dk/Publikationer/Udgivelser/PopulaerPublikationer.aspx?katid={D28373CC-6EF3-4EF8-B097-6D83FABF209E}&serieid={9F1C3DB1-6E7B-4CF1-AF53-F480B0CB40EF}&sort=title ↩︎A series of leaflets, jointly produced by the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, focussing on seed information for a number species, but also giving a lot of other information about each plant.
  5. [5]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  6. [6]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  7. [7]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
  8. [8]The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants — Chevallier. A. · Dorling Kindersley. London · 1996 · ISBN 9-780751-303148 ↩︎An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
  9. [9]Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. — Barwick. M. · Thames & Hudson, London · 2004 · ISBN 0-500-51181-0 ↩︎A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.