Uganda’s rain forests contain different indigenous tree species with which Tooro Botanical Gardens has established an arboretum with unique collections to display the beauty and diversity and conserve the Flora and Fauna of the region and beyond.
Seeds and vegetative planting materials are collected from the nearby primary forests, community forests and the TBG mature stands, East Africa and beyond, raised in our Propagation unit and planted in the Gardens. This is the biggest ex-situ conservation undertakings in the country. It has served and will continue to serve as a gene pool to conserve regional and national biodiversity, but also provide education materials for local community, students and researchers as most of the species are rare in the remaining forest reserves.
By the year ending 2020, over 1,000 indigenous tree and shrub species had already been planted in the gardens. Every tree planted here is a source of knowledge, helping us conserve the habitats of beloved native trees and protect some of the Uganda’s most fascinating species at risk from deforestation and creating a home of over one hundred bird species which enjoy the comfort of the trees and abundant food their in. In the next seven years, TBG to have most tree and shrub species of Uganda represented in the 50-acre arboretum.
Incredible native tree collections
Trees provide benefits for climate modification, conserving water, preserving soil, supporting wildlife and create peaceful pleasing environments. There are more than 20,000 trees at Tooro Botanical Gardens, and over different 200 species. Here a five of its most famous trees.
Strangling figs
Strangling figs include Ficus ovata and Ficus natalensis, and at times start life in the canopy of their host trees. Their aerial roots extend downwards and progressively surround the host’s trunk, and eventually ‘strangles it’ to death-establishing its sole existence hence the name strangling fig.
Citropsis articulata-African cherry orange
This plant species is known for its aphrodisiac properties. It is increasingly threatened by unsustainable methods of harvesting and habitat degradation. Tooro Botanical Gardens is promoting its conservation by offering local community households to plant it in their gardens.
Entandrophragma angolense-Budongo mahogany
This specie is heavily exploited in its native range for timber which is used in joinery, furniture, flooring and ship building. They have contributed to a reduction in the genetic diversity of the species, leaving it potentially vulnerable to diseases and climate change. At Tooro Botanical Gardens emphasis is put on monitoring its population trends in the wild, source genetically diverse seeds for propagation, replant in the Arboreta and make seedlings available to the local communities.
Prunus africana-Red stinkwood
This tree species is a member of the rose family highly valued for making bridges, flooring and utensils. Its bark and leaves have important medicinal properties and used for treating malaria and problems with the prostate. Illegal exploitation for timber and mostly bark extraction for herbal medicine has increased its threat status and it is vulnerable. Tooro Botanical Gardens is promoting its conservation and increase its wild population by replanting it central and local forest reserves, increasing acreage planting on community land.
Ficus natalensis-Bark cloth fig
The bark cloth fig is widely distributed specie in Uganda, planted in boundaries, farms, and banana plantations, so common with Bantu speaking communities. The species is planted at Tooro Botanical Gardens to promote its conservation and peoples’ cultural attachment safe guarding its heritage as one of most famous species across bantu speaking communities in Uganda.