trefle.io · Taken Mar 14, 2022 by Denis Bastianelli (cc-by-sa)
Sapotaceae
Shea butter
Vitellaria paradoxa
Also known as Vitellaria, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Karite tree, Shea tree
Tropical Plants · Native Plants · Trees & Shrubs · Shea Butter · Tropical Tree · African Savanna · Edible Oil · Cosmetic Plant · Large Tree · Medicinal · Outdoor · Sapotaceae · Agroforestry
Shea butter is a slow-growing tropical tree native to the African savanna and requires a warm, frost-free climate with full sun to thrive. It needs well-draining soil and moderate but consistent watering, particularly during its establishment years. This tree is best suited for large outdoor spaces in USDA zones 10–12 and is not appropriate for indoor cultivation.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 8 hours
- Watering
- Deep watering until soil is moist at root depth; allow surface to dry between waterings · Every 10-14 days
- Maintenance
- High
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Temperature
- 0°F to 90°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 5a-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 2 ft – 5 ft
- Spread
- 3 ft
- Spacing
- 240 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Repu, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, ZaïRe
- Attracts
- Bees, Birds
Sources: trefle
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