Terminalia superba
Terminalia superba
Safety & Hazards
Although the timber is widely used in the wood industry, skin irritations are rare. However, there have been various reports as follows:- Splinters of the wood can cause wounds that become increasingly inflamed and resist healing[1]. Vesicular dermatitis of the fingers, apparently caused by the sawdust, has been observed[1]. Contact dermatitis from the wood dust in ten Swiss workers has been reported[1]. The wood can also cause respiratory disorders such as asthma and bleeding of the nose and gums, and also contact urticaria[1].
Cultivation Details
A plant of the moist, tropical lowlands, where it is found at elevations from 150 - 1,000 metres[2]. It grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum annual temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, though it can tolerate 18 - 36°c[3]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 1,800mm, though can tolerate from 1,000 - 2,000mm[3].It is mainly found in areas with a dry season of around 4 months, but it does not respond well to long dry spells, especially when growing on sandy soils[2]. Requires a sunny position - young trees grow straight and vigorously in full light, particularly if their crown is free, but they stagnate under shade[2]. Grows best on rich, well-drained alluvial soils, but is also found on other types such as lateritic sands, gravel and clays, lava, black basaltic clays and crystalline soils[2]. The tree will withstand occasional flooding[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8.5[3]. A fast-growing tree. Annual growth rates of 2.5 metres in height have been reported for the first 10 years after planting, whilst 4 year old trees in in Ghana have reached a height of 14 metres with boles 22cm in diameter[4]. Under good conditions, planted trees may reach a bole diameter of 50cm in 20 years[4]. The average annual increment in heartwood volume in plantations has been estimated at 14.5 cubic meters per hectare[4]. The tree reaches sexual maturity late and at variable ages, for example at the age of 15 years in Cote d'Ivoire and 23 years in Congo[2]. In the oldest stands in Congo, which are now 30 years old, a spacing of 12 x 12 metres appears to be appropriate, and trees are straight and vigorous[2]. Natural pruning is excellent and starts early, at 3 - 4 years, and from then onwards the degree of self-pruning has a strong effect on the health and future value of the tree[2]. It coppices readily from tree stumps, bears copious amounts of seed every year, and under plantation conditions achieves sexual maturity after 6 - 10 years[2]. The rotation period as applied in favourable locations in Africa is 40 years[2]. The root system is frequently fairly shallow, and as the tree ages the taproot disappears[2]. The tree is frequently struck by lightning, presumably because of its dominant position in the forest. It is very fire sensitive[2].
Propagation
Seed - no pre-treatment is needed and seed should preferably be fresh at sowing, covered with fine soil and watered morning and evening[2]. Germination takes place in 2 - 4 weeks, and temporary shading is necessary[2]. The root develops clearly as a taproot[2].In the nursery, seedlings are usually slightly shaded until they are 2 months old. Inoculation with endomycorrhizae enhances the growth of seedlings by about 25% after 10 weeks. Seedlings are transplanted into nursery beds after 6 - 7 weeks when 5 - 8cm tall, spacing them 20cm × 50cm apart. This should be done carefully to avoid damage to the taproot. They often remain in the nursery for at least one year until they have reached a height of about 2 metres[4]. Direct sowing is rarely done and not very effective; the normal method is raising nursery stock[2]. The seeds store well in sealed containers with a little desiccant at 2 - 4°c, giving 40 - 60% germination after 1 - 2 years, but poor storage conditions reduce germination to about 30% after 1 year[2]. There is no difficulty in grafting the species, and this has been practised in Congo since 1970. Here the optimum period was found to be mid-August to mid-September before the rise of sap and recurrence of the rains, with scions grafted at once, or transported under refrigeration[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Terminalia+superba>
Pollinators
Bees, Flies
References
- [1]BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) — http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/ ↩︎Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin.
- [2]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.
- [3]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.
- [4]Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. — http://www.prota.org ↩︎An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.