Family: Irvingiaceae
Origin, Description & Uses:
Irvingia gabonensis, commonly known as African wild mango, dikanut, or ogbono, is a tropical tree native to the humid forests of West and Central Africa. It is a medium to large evergreen tree with a dense canopy, glossy leaves, and small yellowish flowers that develop into mango-like fruits. While the fruit pulp is edible, the seeds (often called dikanuts or ogbono) are the most valued part of the plant. These seeds are widely used in traditional West African cuisine, especially to make thick, nutritious soups and sauces. The tree is also valued for its timber and for local medicinal uses, and it plays an important role in agroforestry systems where it provides shade and supplemental income.
Risks & Threats:
This species is considered low risk and is not known to be invasive in Hawaiʻi or other tropical island ecosystems. Irvingia gabonensis generally requires specific rainforest conditions to thrive and does not exhibit aggressive spreading or colonizing behavior. There is little evidence of it naturalizing outside of cultivation, and it tends to remain where it is planted. As with any introduced species, responsible planting and monitoring are recommended, but overall, African wild mango is regarded as a safe option for cultivation with minimal ecological concern.
High Risk Traits:
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Shade-tolerant
- Tolerates many soil types
- Seeds dispersed by people and large frugivorous mammals
- Coppices
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of naturalization or invasiveness to date, but not widely planted outside native range
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
- Non-toxic
- Edible fruit
- Medicinal uses
- Not known to spread vegetatively
- Wild trees reach maturity in 10-15 years
- Relatively large fruit and seeds unlikely to be inadvertently dispersed
- Will not form a persistent seed bank
