🌳 Tree
ANX-TREE-0000001
Silky Oak
Grevillea robusta
Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta), a timber, shade, agroforestry tree of the Proteaceae family.
- Family
- Proteaceae
- Tree type
- Timber, Shade, Agroforestry
- Mature height (m)
- 18-30
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Lifespan (years)
- 40-60
- Native region
- Eastern Australia, now widely naturalized/cultivated across East Africa.
Environment
Growing Conditions
- Climate requirements
- Subtropical highlands; performs best at 1200-2200m altitude with moderate rainfall.
- Soil types
- Well-drained loams; tolerates acidic soils but not waterlogging.
- Water requirements
- Moderate - drought-tolerant once established, benefits from regular water while young.
Cultivation
Planting & Care
- Planting guide
- Grown from seed or nursery seedlings, typically planted at wide spacing (6-8m) as a boundary or intercrop tree since its light canopy allows understorey crops.
- Care guide
- Minimal pruning needed beyond removing competing leaders when young; periodic thinning of dense stands for timber quality.
Phenology
Flowering & Fruiting
- Flowering season
- Orange-yellow flowers, typically July-September in East Africa
- Fruiting season
- Follicle pods maturing a few months after flowering
Value
Uses & Economic Importance
- Uses
- Timber (furniture, construction), shade for coffee/tea, fuelwood, windbreaks, and ornamental planting.
- Economic importance
- One of the most widely planted agroforestry trees in the East African highlands, valued for fast growth alongside shade-tolerant crops like coffee and tea.
Trade
Marketplace
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