Afzelia xylocarpa Seeds | Makha Mong
LATIN NAME: Afzelia xylocarpa
COMMON NAME: Makha Mong
Plant Profile
Afzelia xylocarpa is a large tree of the dry forests of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, and it is grown for timber that is heavy, hard and beautifully figured. The trunk is straight and the crown is broad, and the tree can reach thirty metres. The leaves are pinnate with three to five pairs of leaflets, and the flowers are a loose spray of white petals, one of which carries a purple mark.
The fruit is a thick, woody pod, almost black when ripe, that splits with a crack to release shiny black seeds with a bright orange aril. The aril is eaten by birds, which carry the seed away, and the seed itself is hard enough to survive a gut and a dry season. The timber is sold as makha mong in Thailand and as padaek in Laos, and it is one of the most valuable woods of the region.
Science & Biotechnology
The wood is dense, with a specific gravity often above 0.8, and it is resistant to termites and to decay. It is used for furniture, for flooring, for doors and for carving, and the figure in the grain makes it a substitute for true rosewood in some markets. That substitution is the problem: the genus has been drawn into the rosewood trade, and one African species, Afzelia bipindensis, is listed on CITES Appendix II, which has increased scrutiny of the whole group.
The seed is toxic. It contains a lectin and other compounds that cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and it must be leached and cooked before it can be eaten. The aril is harmless to birds, which is why the seed is dispersed rather than destroyed, and the tree depends on those birds for regeneration.
Uses & Benefits
The timber is the main product, used for high-grade furniture, for joinery and for decorative veneer. The tree is also planted as a shade tree and as an ornamental for the flowers, and it is used in reforestation in Thailand and in Vietnam.
In local medicine the bark and the seed are used, the bark as a wash for skin complaints and the seed, after processing, as a purge. The seed is also used as a bead and in rattles, and the aril is eaten in some districts. The timber trade is the only commercial use of any scale.
Growing from Seed
The seed coat is very hard, so scarify it by nicking the edge or by soaking it in hot water for a day. Sow in a deep pot at 25 to 30 degrees, and germination is in two to four weeks. The seedling develops a long taproot, so it should not be started in a shallow tray.
The tree wants full sun, a deep soil and a climate with a distinct dry season. It is tender when young and should be protected from frost for the first three years. Plant it where it has room, since it becomes a large tree, and keep it free of competition for the first two seasons.
Our Take
A fine timber tree of the Asian dry forest, and one whose seed needs processing before it is safe to eat.
Related Reading
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