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.