|
Species |
Density (kg/m3) |
Natural durability |
End-Uses |
Soils |
Vegetation Zones |
Suitability for Taungya |
Potential growth rates (m3/ha/year) |
Rotation (Years) |
|
|
1. Tectona grandis |
580-820 |
Durable |
Top quality cabinet, sliced veneer, flooring |
- wide range of soils; - no waterlogging or shallow compacted soils or heavy clays; - avoid steep slopes; - pH requirement: 6.0 to 7.5 |
Dergraded areas of semi evergreen rainforest |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
2. Cedrela odorata |
370-600 |
Moderately durable |
Peeled and sliced veneers |
- neutral to alkaline soils; - avoid shallow, stony or strongly acidic soils |
Semi-evergreen zones |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
3. Gmelina arborea |
400-570 |
Moderately durable; Not termite resistant |
Saw-timber, matches, pulpwood |
- Avoid yellow clay soils, water - logging and stony or compacted profiles; - thrives best on fertile well drained soils bu tolerates a range of soil conditions. |
Afforestation of degraded sites |
|
25 - 30 |
|
|
|
4. Triplochiton scleroxylon |
390 |
Non durable |
Utility hardwood, filling for panels, veneer, matches, mouldings, internal joinery |
- avoid swampy conditions. Susceptible to windthrow on wet and shallow soils |
- Absent in the rainfores - semi-evergreen forest and the riverine forest of the southern savannah - strong light demander and a speedy coloniser; - attention to root competition required |
Yes (narrow crown) |
15 + |
40 - 50 |
|
|
5. Terminalia superba |
450-680 |
|
Utility timber, veneer, shade or crop over-storey tree |
- tolerates limited waterlogging; - best on freely drained soils with pH of abt. 6; - susceptible to drought and shallow or compacted soils or compacted profiles |
-strong light demander; -spreading crowns limit productivity in plantations and mixtures; -strong provenance difference between populations |
|
|
30-35 (50-60 cm) |
|
|
6. Miliaceae spp. |
530- 660 |
|
Quality cabinets, saw-timber, veneer |
- avoid waterlogging or inundation; - little information on soil requirements; - Lovoa common in Ghana on base-poor soils - Eu, Ec, Ea tolerate drought and better-drained soils |
-light demanding climax spp (NPLD); -maintain 50% shade throughout period in nursery; -planting in mixtures at 10% to 15% recommended with a nurse species of similar growth rate to give side(not top) shade to be able to be resistant to Hypsipyla robusta(e.g Kusia and gmelina) |
|
|
30 (60 cm) |
|
|
7. Mansonia altissima |
600-720 |
Very durable |
- cabinet wood - dust causes sneezing * pest & health problem limit plantation potential |
- fertile soils of semi-evergreen rainforest zone - avoid inundation - drought tolerant - regeneration common in burnt areas than un-burnt sites. |
Semi-evergreen raiforest |
|
- 6m in 4years (Howthone) - 8 -10m after 10yrs (Taylor) |
|
|
|
8. Pericopsis elata |
600-850 |
Very durable |
- cabinet wood *listed in Appendix II of CITES |
- neutral and free-draining soils. |
- semi-evergreen forests; - colonises gaps |
|
5-8 |
38 (60cm in Malawi with 10-15cm heartwood) |
|
|
9. Milicia excelsa |
550-660 |
Very durable |
Cabinet |
- strongly acidic, compacted soils and waterlogging must be avoided |
- more common in semi-evergreen zones and riparian forests in the savannah regions; - raised with high stumps |
|
|
|
|
|
10. Nauclea diderrichii |
|
|
Transmission poles |
- neutral to acid light textured soils; - root needs to reach water table(i.e. access to water at depth; - avoid shallow basement complex derived soils. |
- strong light demander; -good nurse crop for the miliaceae; - more research needed on light requirements; |
Yes |
3-10 |
26 (h=16m, d=27) 15-20 (coppicing for transmission poles) |
|
|
11. Eucalyptus spp. |
600-850 |
Very durable |
Industrial wood, poles, windbreaks |
- wide range of soils; |
- weed free and high level of nutrient content required until canopy closure; - genus adapted to surviving fire; - spp. minimises transpiration during water shortage, transpire very freely when roots have access to water. |
No |
40-50 |
|
|
Source: Hardcastle et al. (1998); Taylor (1962)
