Hagenia abyssinica

Cultivation Details

A plant of the dry to moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from 1,800 - 4,300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 32°c, but can tolerate 5 - 36°c^[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,600mm, but tolerates 400 - 1,800mm^[1]. Prefers a sunny position^[1]. Prefers a fertile, well-drained, medium-textured soil^[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5, tolerating 5.5 - 8.5^[1]. Flowering and seeding can be observed almost throughout the year, with a break in the months with the coldest temperatures^[2]. Mature trees are tolerant of fire, and heavy fires create ideal germination conditions for the small wind-dispersed seeds^[3]. The plant is unable to regenerate in areas suffering from a high level of grazing. Young trees have poor competitive ability^[3]. Plants can recover well after a forest fire^[1]. The plant is usually dioecious, but with some polygamous specimens^[3].