African Blackwood (Mpingo)
Dalbergia melanoxylon
Arid & Semi-Arid Savannas (Ngong, Kajiado, Coastal & Eastern Kenya)Conservation, Fine Woodworking, Soil Enrichment, Medicinal
Dalbergia melanoxylon (African Blackwood / Mpingo) is one of Africa’s most valuable and heavily threatened indigenous hardwood species, famous for its exceptionally dense, dark, jet-black heartwood surrounded by thin pale sapwood. As a slow-growing legume, it improves soil fertility by fixing nitrogen while withstanding extreme drought. Highly sought after for traditional carving and musical instrument making, it faces severe pressure in the wild. APRCC actively conserves and establishes living specimens of this species at the Olkeri Botanicals conservation site in Ngong.