About Combretum imberbe Wawra
Taxonomy and General Growth Habit
Combretum imberbe Wawra, the largest bushwillow species of southern Africa, has a distinct growth habit and characteristic features. It bears a spreading, fairly sparse crown that is roundish to slightly umbrella-shaped.
Foliage and Fruit Morphology
Its smallish grey-green leaves and small yellowish-green samaras grow on spiny, tapering branchlets.
Mature Height
It typically reaches 7 to 15 metres (23 to 49 ft) in height, and may grow as tall as 20 metres (66 ft).
Trunk Diameter
When mature, its single solid trunk can reach up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in diameter.
Bark Color and Fissuring
Its distinctive bark ranges in colour from pale to dark grey, with deep lengthwise fissures. Irregular horizontal cracks give the bark a fairly regular, coarse-grained appearance.
Lifespan
Radiocarbon dating conducted in South Africa has confirmed that leadwood trees can live up to 1070 ± 40 years, and dead trees can remain standing for many years after death.
Native Range
This species is native to mesic savannas across Africa south of the equator, ranging from KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa in the south to Tanzania in the north.
Country Distribution and Protection Status
It occurs naturally in South Africa, eSwatini, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, and Tanzania, and is a protected tree within South Africa.
Wood Properties
Its dense, very hard wood is difficult to plane, but works well with drilling, sanding, and turning; it is also termite resistant.
Wood Construction Uses
It was historically used for railway sleepers, and is now valued for ornamental work and furniture.
Wood Fuel Uses
It burns very slowly with intense heat, so it is often used for overnight fires to keep wild animals away, and is sometimes used for barbecues to produce a hot, long-lasting flame.
Ash Household Uses
Its ashes are used as whitewash to paint the walls of kraal huts, and can be mixed with water into a paste for use as toothpaste.
Ash Culinary Use
The ashes can also be kneaded into tamarind paste to make a sweet smoothie, a common practice among the Marembe people of the Nyamapanda area.
