Bush Mango Fruit Plant (Irvingia gabonensis)

Common Name: Wild Mango, African Mango, Bush Mango, Dika Nut

Botanical Name: Irvingia gabonensis

General Information:

Evergreen tree with a dense, compact crown, Can grow 10 – 30 meters tall. Native to Tropical Africa - Nigeria to Central African Republic, south to Congo, DR Congo, and Angola, Edible mango-like fruits. Seeds gathered from the wild for local use. Important food source for local peoples in tropical Africa. Cultivated or semi-cultivated in several areas such as Benin. Fruits can be eaten raw with an edible sweet pulp, Fallen fruits collected in the forest, stacked until pulp rots away, and nuts are opened and cotyledons removed and dried, Cotyledons are a common market produce used in soups and as a food flavoring

Medicinal Uses:

Extracts of African bush mango may prevent the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids.

Traditional ethnomedicinal treatments utilize bark, kernels, leaves, or roots for various ailments.

Beneficial effects for diabetes and obesity.

Analgesic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and gastrointestinal activity were reported.

Cultivation Information:

Bloom Time/Fruiting: 3 to 4 Years

Maintenance Required: Moderate