| General Description | A large deciduous tree with long wavy green leaves, rounded green fruits and white flowers. |
| ID Characteristic | Oblong green leaves with wavy edges. Clusters of green fruits. White hermaphroditic flowers. |
| Shape | Upright with a large wide spreading multi branched crown. |
| Landscape | The shea tree is a highly respected tree in Sub-Saharan Africa because of all of its benefits to the soils surrounding it and benefits medicinally and commercially. Vitellaria paradoxa is so well respected that farmers, landscapers and urban planners will make efforts to preserve the tree if it is on the land being used. There are many commercial uses for the Shea tree making it a high source of income for many growers. Commercial uses for shea butter (oil derived from the nuts of the shee fruit) are extensive because it is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids making it a staple in beauty products and topical medicine, it can also be used for cooking oil and as a substitute for cocoa butter in baking. The termite resistant wood of the Vitellaria paradoxa is also used in construction and for latex. Vitellaria paradoxa also has incredible benefits to the soils and areas surrounding it wherever it grows by improving the microclimate and overall soil fertility! |
| Propagation | The main method of propagation is grafting in order to yield more fruit.Vegatative cultivation has only been experimentally successful so far. Seed is great when fresh and properly germinated it can be directly planted into fields, however very slow growing. |
| Cultivation | Grows best in sunny dry climates, will tolerate light shade. Prefers well drained soil but can grow in nutritionally poor soils. The ideal temperature for growth is between 24-38? but this resilient tree will tolerate a range from 18-43?. Low elevation.Adapts well to mildly acidic, neutral, and basic soils. Vegetative cultivation is rarely successful, typically grafting is used for cultivation. Seeds are accessible and can be planted directly into fields but need to be fresh and properly germinated. Because Vitellaria paradoxa is such a slow growing tree grafting is the preferred method of cultivation. |
| Pests | Shea trees fall victim to parasitic plants such as African mistletoe as well as insects like stem borers. However the biggest threat to Vitellaria paradoxa is the increasing population and urban takeover of the trees natural environment. Although this is a well respected and relatively protected tree urban development plays a big role in its demise.Drought is also a factor of potential risk, shea trees thrive in the dry hot climate but do still need relatively consistent access to water. |
| Habitat | Vitellaria paradoxa thrives in the sunny dry climates of Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Trunk has a large diameter of typically 30 cm however it is relatively short typically racing 3-4 m. The corky bark is a medium brown colour with distinct lenticels. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Beautiful tropical in appearance white flowers with approximately 8 outer petals and distinctive multiple stigma. Flowers typically grow in clusters. |
| Leaf Description | Leaves are oblong and green approximately 12-25 cm long and 4-7 cm wide.The leaves have a distinct wavy outline. Leaves grow in clusters at the end of branches. |
| Fruit Description | Green smooth rounded fruits typically 4-8 cm long. Grows in clusters.Every fruit contains about 4 brown seeds each. The slow growing Vitellaria paradoxa does not fruit until the tree is 10-15 years old and typically will not yield a full harvest until 20-30 years old. |
| Colour Description | Vitellaria paradoxa is a year round green tree with green fruits and white flowers. It does not have autumn colour because of its habitat. |
| Texture Description | Medium. |