Black ironwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black ironwood |
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| In Cape Town | |
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| Genus: |
Olea
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| Species: |
capensis
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The black ironwood (scientific name: Olea capensis) is a type of tree from Africa. It belongs to the olive family. You can find this tree all over sub-Saharan Africa. It grows from countries like Somalia and Ethiopia in the east, all the way down to South Africa. It also grows west to Cameroon and Sierra Leone, and on islands like Madagascar.
This tree likes to grow in bushy areas, along coastlines, and in forests that stay green all year. People also call it ironwood, ironwood olive, or East African olive.
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About the Black Ironwood Tree
The black ironwood can be a bushy plant or a small to medium-sized tree. It usually grows up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can even reach 40 meters (about 130 feet)!
Here are some features of the black ironwood:
- Bark: Its bark is light gray when young. As the tree gets older, it turns dark gray and gets cracks. If the bark gets hurt, it often oozes a black, sticky sap.
- Leaves: The leaves are shiny and light to dark green on top. They are a lighter green underneath. Each leaf is about 3 to 10 centimeters (1 to 4 inches) long.
- Flowers: The flowers are small, white or cream-colored, and smell sweet. They grow in groups and can be 3 to 15 centimeters (1 to 6 inches) long.
- Fruit: When the fruit is ripe, it is purplish and a bit juicy. It looks like an oval and can be up to 2 centimeters (about 0.8 inches) long.
Different Types of Black Ironwood
Scientists have divided the black ironwood into three main types, called subspecies:
- Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa: This type has flowers that grow in loose groups. Its fruits are long and oval-shaped.
- Olea capensis subsp. capensis: This type has flowers that grow in tight groups. Its leaves can look very different from tree to tree. Its fruits are often round or oval.
- Olea capensis subsp. enervis: This type usually has wide, oval leaves that get narrower at the tip.
What the Black Ironwood is Used For
The black ironwood tree is useful in many ways.
Food
The tree produces many sweet-smelling flowers. These flowers turn into large fruits that people can eat.
Wood
The wood from the black ironwood tree is very special. It is extremely hard, has a fine grain, and is very heavy. Even though it's tough to work with, people use it to make beautiful art and other items.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists this tree as having the world's heaviest wood! It is so dense that it sinks in water, unlike most other types of wood. It is also one of the hardest woods in the world. This wood is great for turning on a lathe, which means it can be shaped into many decorative things.
Gardens
Because it's such a strong and interesting tree, the black ironwood is also planted in parks and gardens as an ornamental tree. This means it's grown for its beauty.
Gallery
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Flowers -
Timber -
Leaves -
Trunk and bark
See also
In Spanish: Olea capensis para niños
