Tree profile: Mopane

Mar 23, 2014

4,004

Tree profile: Mopane                 
 
    Mopane, the butterfly treeScientific name: Colophospermum mopane

Indigenous names: Mopanie (afrikaans), Mohlanare (North Sotho), Nxanatsi (Tsonga), Mupani (Venda) 
 
		Cathedral Mopane Grove

Lichstenstein's hartebeest, a strange animal 

Flute made from mopane wood

	Keala: Maria, if you could say one thing about mopane, what would it be?	
	Maria: Butterfly leaves. Makes it easy to identify. Without that, no idea.

Cultivation

SourcesMaking the most of Indigenous Trees, Fanie and Julye-Anne Venter
Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park, Ernst Schmidt, Mervyn Lotter and Warren McClealand
Mopane woodlands and the Mopane worms: rural livelihoods and resource sustainability

Kathryn and Denny like this.

4 comments

Join the conversation!Sign In

Solomon Jakamera

How does the mopane tree benefit from tannins in their roots and how does it warn its neighbors of the presence of herbivores

Oct 24, 20160

mathias malandu

how long does it take to be a full grown tree. Enjoyed reading your article.I enjoy the worms too my mun knew how to prepare them.

Aug 22, 20160

Keala CummingsResearcher

The length of time varies widely based primarily on the depth of soil but also the climate it experiences. To be honest it's actually a very difficult plant to grow. I know many people who have managed to grow it to about a meter (which takes ~5 months to a year), only for it to wither and die. One possibility is it needs to experience some browsing pressure. My advisor had a mopane in his front yard that was about half a meter tall when it was eaten almost all the way to the stem by a deer. He thought it would die but it actually bounced back and grew another meter in the following months! Overall, if you can get past the meter stage, I'd say it would take anywhere between 5-10 years for it to reach a respectable height. Getting a cathedral mopane would likely take 20 years or more. I'm glad you enjoyed the article! I miss the worms, I wish I could ask your mum for a nice dish of them!

Aug 25, 20160

Marsha SatoBacker

For the non-botanist, this was a great balance of practical, colorful, and arcane info. The photos were incredibly useful for getting to know this interesting tree.

Mar 24, 20140

Kathryn AlbertBacker

Fantastic photos and descriptions. Great information with interesting tidbits that enticed me to keep reading (especially about the moaner worm!

Mar 23, 20141

About This Project

Surviving on the savanna: how do traits predict tree success?

UM-Columbia

Measuring tree traits is a fast, inexpensive and effective way to gather information on how tree species withstand environmental pressures. It's especially useful for understanding dynamic systems such as savannas. By measuring traits for key tree species this research will provide valuable knowledge that can be used by park managers, climate scientists, savanna ecologists and local communities that depend on tree populations for vital resources.