African mahogany
Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A.Juss.
Khaya senegalensis (African mahogany), also called Senegal mahogany, is a large tree of the mahogany family (Meliaceae) native to the dry zones of West and Central Africa, prized for a handsome, durable, termite-resistant mahogany timber used for fine furniture, boats and musical instruments. It grows 15–30 m tall, with pinnate leaves, small cream-white flowers and round capsules that split into 4–5 valves with winged seeds. In Vietnam it is widely planted as a shade tree and for timber. Over-exploitation in its native range led IUCN to list it as Vulnerable (VU), though most commercial timber now comes from plantations.
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African mahogany — Trunk & barkAfrican mahogany — Whole treeAfrican mahogany — Whole treeOverview
Khaya senegalensis (African mahogany) is a large tree, deciduous in the dry season, 15–30 m tall (sometimes to 35 m), with a broad rounded crown and grey, scaly-fissured bark. The leaves are pinnate with usually 4–7 pairs of glossy, entire leaflets. The small cream-white flowers are borne in axillary clusters. The fruit is a round woody capsule that splits into 4–5 valves when ripe, releasing many flat seeds with thin wings dispersed by wind. The tree grows fairly fast and regenerates well.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026
Khaya senegalensis is native to the dry forests and moist savannas of West and Central Africa, from Senegal to Sudan and Uganda, usually growing along rivers and on well-drained ground. It is drought-tolerant and grows on many soil types, favouring tropical regions with a marked dry season. From Africa it has been introduced and widely planted in many tropical countries, including Vietnam, where it is used as a street and park tree and grown for timber.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026
Khaya wood is pinkish-brown to reddish-brown, with a fine, attractive grain; it works easily, warps little and resists termites and weathering, so it is classed among the African mahoganies. It consists mainly of cellulose with lignin, hemicellulose and extractives. The bark and seeds are bitter owing to limonoids (khayanolides) and triterpenoids — a group studied for antibacterial, antifeedant and insect-repellent/insecticidal activity. Khaya is thus both a valuable timber tree and a source of natural compounds.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026
Khaya yields prized timber for high-grade furniture, boats, musical instruments, flooring, veneer and interior decoration. In Vietnam it is a familiar street and park shade tree and is also planted for timber. In West African folk medicine the bark and seeds are used for fever (including malaria), stomach complaints, parasites and some skin diseases, and extracts have been studied for antibacterial, antimalarial and insect-repellent/insecticidal activity.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026
Khaya senegalensis is listed as Vulnerable (VU) by IUCN because of over-exploitation of its timber in the native range; nevertheless it is widely planted, so most commercial timber comes from plantations. As for safety, its parts are not a food; the bark and seeds are mildly toxic and bitter and should not be eaten, being used as medicine only under professional guidance. Wood dust can irritate the respiratory tract and skin, so protection is advisable when working it.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed
Winged seeds are sown in tubes or beds and kept moist until germination.
Sapling
Light-demanding saplings grow fast and are pruned for a straight trunk.
Mature tree
Trees 15–30 m with a broad shade crown and characteristic scaly bark.
Timber harvest
After 20–30 years the timber is harvested and sawn for joinery.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- West Africa34%
- Central Africa20%
- Vietnam (planted)20%
- East Africa8%
- South Asia and other South-East Asia (planted)8%
- Americas (planted)4%
- Planted elsewhere6%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Cellulose (wood)Main wood component38%
- LigninLignification22%
- HemicelluloseWood polysaccharide15%
- Limonoids (khayanolides)Bitter; antibacterial, insect-repellent12%
- Triterpenoids and sterolsBark and seed constituents7%
- Others (tannins, extractives, minerals)Minor components6%
Uses
- High-grade furniture, boats and musical instruments
- Flooring, veneer and interior decoration
- Street and park shade tree
- Bark and seeds in West African folk medicine (fever, digestion)
- Extracts with insect-repellent/insecticidal activity (potential)
- Timber plantations in tropical regions with a dry season
Properties
- Wood
- Pink-brown, figured, durable
- Crown
- Broad, evergreen
- Growth
- Fast, drought-tolerant
Habitat & conservation
Dry forests and moist savannas of West and Central Africa, often along rivers on well-drained ground; drought-tolerant and able to grow on many soil types. Planted in tropical regions with a marked dry season, including Vietnam.
Conservation
Listed as Vulnerable (IUCN: VU) because of over-exploitation of its timber in the native range; however it is widely planted, so most timber now comes from plantations. Sustainable harvest management is needed in the native range.
References
- 1Plants of the World Online — Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A.Juss. — Kew Science, 2024
- 2IUCN Red List — Khaya senegalensis — IUCN, 2019
- 3PROSEA — Timber trees: Khaya — PROSEA, 1994
- 4Khaya senegalensis — African mahogany, description and uses — English Wikipedia, 2026
- 5Xà cừ — đặc điểm, gỗ, công dụng — Vietnamese Wikipedia, 2026
- 6Nguồn ảnh: Binh Giang (Public domain) — Wikimedia Commons,
- 7Nguồn ảnh: Forestowlet (CC0) — Wikimedia Commons,
- 8Nguồn ảnh: David J. Stang (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons,
- 9Nguồn ảnh: Marco Schmidt (CC BY-SA 2.5) — Wikimedia Commons,