Irvingia gabonensis

African bush mango; dika nut; ogbono; wild mango (Irvingia gabonensis)
Scientific name	Irvingia gabonensis
Common names	African bush mango; dika nut; ogbono; wild mango
Genus	Irvingia
Family	Irvingiaceae
Order	Malpighiales
Fruit type	Drupe
Growth form	Large evergreen tree
Native range	West and central tropical Africa
Climate and site	Humid lowland tropics; dense moist forest
Mature size	15–40 m
Propagation	Fresh seed; selected vegetative methods require documented material
Fruit	Yellowish ellipsoid fruit with fibrous pulp and a large kernel
Harvest	Nigeria: April–July and September–October fruiting periods
Years to fruit	N/A

African bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis; also dika nut, ogbono, and wild mango) is a large evergreen fruit-and-seed tree of the family Irvingiaceae. It produces yellowish fruit with fibrous pulp and a large kernel; both the pulp and processed kernel are important food products in parts of tropical Africa.^[1][2]

Description

Tree of Irvingia gabonensis. Photo by Gérard SAGBO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The tree forms a dense, compact crown and commonly reaches 15–40 m, with a straight bole that may develop buttresses. Leaves are leathery, dark green, and glossy above. Ripe fruit is yellowish, broadly ellipsoid, and about 5–7.5 cm long, with yellow fibrous pulp surrounding one large seed.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Irvingia gabonensis grows in lowland forest and is characteristic of dense, moist tropical forest. The documented native range includes parts of West and central Africa; its natural setting is warm, humid, and seasonally rain-fed rather than cool or frost-prone.^[3][4]

Cultivation

Cultivation suits hot humid conditions. A documented agroforestry profile gives mean annual temperatures of about 25–32 °C, annual rainfall of about 1500–3000 mm, and an approximate altitude range of 200–500 m. Outside humid forest, maintain moisture through the dry season and protect young trees from prolonged drought and cold.^[3]

Soil and water

The tree has no narrow soil requirement in the cited agroforestry profile, but it grows well in well-drained acidic soils. Use a deep soil that does not remain saturated around the roots; add organic matter where the native soil is poor, and irrigate during a pronounced dry season while preserving drainage.^[3]

Sun and humidity

The species is a canopy tree of humid forest and benefits from high atmospheric moisture and good root moisture. Give established trees open light with room for the crown; young plants can be sheltered from drying wind while they establish. Dense, stagnant air is less useful than a humid site with airflow.^[2][3]

Seasonal changes

In Nigeria, flowering is recorded from March through June, with fruiting from April through July and again from September through October. These are regional seasons, not a universal calendar. In cultivation, increase irrigation during the local dry season when foliage, flowers, or developing fruit are active, and observe the local wet-season rhythm rather than forcing a fixed harvest date.^[3]

Propagation

Fresh seed is the straightforward route for raising trees, but seedlings can vary in fruit and kernel traits. The species is being considered in domestication and agroforestry systems; named cultivars or superior selections should not be assigned from a local name or a single tree without provenance records and independent evidence.^[2][5]

Flowering, fruiting, and harvest

The flowers are hermaphroditic and are pollinated by a range of insects, including beetles, flies, bees, and butterflies. Regional Nigerian fruiting occurs in two periods, April–July and September–October. Harvest the ripe fruit for its pulp, then remove and process the kernel using established local food practices; a reliable species-wide years-to-fruit value is not established.^[3]

Fruit and uses

The soft yellow pulp is eaten fresh or used in local foods. The dried kernel, commonly traded as dika nut or ogbono, is valued for its thickening quality in soups and other preparations. Kernel variation is documented, but a market name or fruit type should not be treated as a formally standardized cultivar without provenance and supporting evidence.^[2][5]

Photos

References

• ↑ [1] GBIF species match: Irvingia gabonensis. Accepted exact match; family, order, and genus.

• ↑ [2] Useful Tropical Plants: Irvingia gabonensis. Habit, forest ecology, fruit and kernel uses, and propagation leads.

• ↑ [3] Agroforestry Database 4.0: Irvingia gabonensis. Habit, ecology, temperature, rainfall, soil, pollination, and Nigerian phenology.

• ↑ [4] Plants of the World Online: Irvingia gabonensis. Taxonomic and distribution lead; the live search endpoint returned HTTP 403 during this run.

• ↑ [5] Domestication of Irvingia gabonensis: phenotypic variation in fruits and kernels. Primary-research lead for fruit and kernel variation; DOI endpoint returned HTTP 404 during this run and is retained for follow-up rather than used to assert a cultivar identity.

Image credits

• Fruit-bearing tree: Irvingia gabonensis African Bush Mango (21033194961).jpg — Len Worthington, CC BY-SA 2.0; file page.
• Tree: L' arbre de l'espèce Irvingia gabonensis.jpg — Gérard SAGBO, CC BY-SA 4.0; file page.
• Kernels: Ogbono (Irvingia gabonensis).jpg — Zz411 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0; file page.