Toad Tree (Mulea / Mwerere)

Tabernaemontana elegans

Tabernaemontana elegans (Toad Tree) is a distinctive indigenous small-to-medium tree renowned for its unusual, paired woody fruits that resemble small, warty toads or curved horns. When mature, the dark green, speckled pods split open to reveal bright orange pulp enclosing seed coats highly attractive to wild birds. The bark yields a milky latex traditionally used in Indigenous medicine, while the tree's attractive broad foliage and fragrant white flowers make it an excellent candidate for indigenous landscaping, conservation collections, and botanical gardens. APRCC propagates and conserves this species to preserve native plant diversity and ecological interactions.