Common Name:
mopane; mufomane; muvumbe
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Botanical Name:
Colophospermum mopane
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The mopane is a small to large irregularly-deciduous, monoecious tree, typically 5-12 m (16-40 ft) tall, occasionally reaching 20 m (65 ft) (1, 4). The tree’s size and habit varies considerably according to its environment, sometimes growing shrub-like and forming dense thickets, other times in grassland environments growing as a tall tree with an erect, narrow crown (1, 4). The bark of the mopane is dark grey to brown and roughly textured, sometimes scaling off, and with deep fissures running longitudinally along it (1, 4). The inner bark is pinkish-red, laminated, and fibrous (4). The tree can have one to several main trunks, which can reach 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter (4). The stems are glabrous, smooth, and grey (4). The leaves “resemble butterflies or camel footprints,” being formed of a single pair of large, asymmetric, kidney-shaped leaflets, which are 5-10 cm (2-4 in) long by 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in) wide (1, 4). The leaflets each have a straight inner margin and a curved outer margin, with 7-12 prominent veins emanating from the point of attachment, and they are scattered with gland-dots that are visible when the leaflet is held up to the light (1, 4). The leaflets smell of turpentine when crushed (1). The leaflets are attached by a petiole that is 1-5 cm (0.4-2 in) long and glabrous (smooth) (1, 4).
The inflorescence is a slender, axillary raceme up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long, simple or with a few branches at the base (1, 4). The flowers are small, regular, greenish-white to yellowish, and bisexual, on pedicels that are 4-8 mm (0.15-0.30 in) long (1, 4). The fruit is a yellowish-brown, flattened, obovoid to kidney-shaped, indehiscent pod that ranges from 2.5-6 cm (1-2.4 in) long and 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) wide (1, 4). The seeds are large, almost filling the pod, and are kidney-shaped, compressed, and corrugated by deep folds (1, 4). The seeds are pitted with numerous reddish, sticky resin-glands (1, 4).
Compound:
Cop mop
Geographic Origin:
South Africa
Ecozone Origin:
Neotropic
Biome Origin:
Seasonally dry tropics; savannah woodlands
Natural History:
The mopane is a widely distributed hardwood tree which thrives in the river valleys and seasonally dry plains of southern Africa at elevations below 1000 m (3280 ft) (1, 2). This plant is typically an indicator of high temperatures, low rainfall, and poorly draining, alkaline soil (1). It is a gregarious species, tending to grow in clumps of trees that exclude other species (1, 2). The trees form stands that dominate over extensive swathes of grassland, sometimes creating a “parkland” effect of trees and grass, while at other times creating impenetrable thickets (1, 2). These stands provide food for elephants and other herbivores, and are centerpieces of their ecosystems (2). The mopane is also host to the mopane worm (caterpillar), the larvae of the moth Acanthocampa belina (2). These caterpillars can occur so numerously on the plants that the sound of them eating the mopane leaves can be heard from several meters away (2). These caterpillars are rich in protein and are a typical food in the area (2).
Cultivation Notes:
Mopane grows well from seed, germinating within 2-3 weeks (3). The seeds store well, remaining viable after drying and freezing (2). When growing the mopane in a pot, it is recommended to use well-draining soil that has added organic matter (2, 5). When grown in the ground, the tree benefits from well-draining, sandy soils, and can tolerate very alkaline soils (1, 3, 5). It reaches maturity and begins to flower at about 5 years old (5). While it benefits from regular watering, the mopane can rot if exposed to prolonged waterlogging or excessive watering (3). Once established, the tree is quite drought-tolerant (3, 5).This tree can withstand light frosts, but a heavy frost may cause die back of its branches, and the entire plant may die at temperatures of -1°C (30°F) or lower (5). The mopane is well adapted to high temperatures, and can thrive even at 38°C (100°F) (3). Despite its spreading and dominating tendency in its native habitat, the mopane has been determined to pose a low risk of invasive tendencies in the United States (6).
Ethnobotany:
The mopane is widely used in southern Africa, where it is said to have “the best fuelwood in Africa.” (2, 3). Families in the rural north-east of the mopane’s range harvest up to 8 kg (17.5 lbs) of this fuelwood per day, and the timber from the tree is often used for fencing, construction, and furniture (2, 3). It is also treasured for its pest and disease resistance, making it a good building material (2, 3). In addition to the use of its wood, the mopane is also taken medicinally and used as a source of resin (2, 3, 4). There are 30 reported traditional medicinal uses of this plant, spanning seven countries and many different communities (4). The most common use is for gastrointestinal issues, often in the form of an infusion of the leaves, bark, stem, or root (4). Some farmers use it to alleviate gastrointestinal issues in their cattle and animals, as well (4). Sores or wounds can be helped by applying the gum of the tree, which can be extracted by heating the wood (4). The leaves and roots of the tree are also used to help with menstruation and post-partum healing in South Africa and Namibia (4).
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
Growth Rate:
Fast Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
ForeSummer
Color:
Cream
Function:
Shade
Spread:
Spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Tender
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
Citations:
- Plants.jstor.org. Accessed July, 2025.
- Kew.org. Accessed July, 2025.
- Botanikks.com. Accessed July, 2025.
- Martinez, J.L.,
Maroyi, A., & Wagner, M.L. (Eds.). (2023). Ethnobotany: From the
Traditional to Ethnopharmacology (1st ed.). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003200147.
- Plants for
a Future. Accessed July, 2025.
- USDA. Accessed July, 2025.
