09 Apr Anonidium mannii
Scientific name: Anonidium mannii (Oliv.) Engl. & Diels
Family: Annonaceae.
Distribution and conservation status: It prefers lowland evergreen rainforests, often along rivers and in moist, fertile soils. Least Concern due to wide distribution but locally uncommon.
Common names: Junglesop (English), Ewuro-igbo (Yoruba), Imido (Igbo), Ogedegbo (Edo).
Fruit/seeds: One of the largest edible fruits in Africa, weighing 4–15 kg, sometimes up to 20 kg, fleshy, ovoid to spherical.
Fruiting time: May-September.
Seed extraction method: Are extracted by hand from ripe fruits.
Types of seed: Recalcitrant with hypogeal germination.
Sowing method: Sow directly in nursery beds or poly pots, seeds should be planted 2–3 cm deep.
Sowing medium: Mix forest topsoil and river sand.
Germination Period: 31-45 days.
Germination percentage: 60% for fresh seeds (60/100 x 100)|
Planting: Partial shade during early stages.
Growth and development: A large evergreen tree, up to 25-35 m tall, with a massive crown.
Notes: The tree contributes to forest biodiversity and food security. Its conservation is important due to increasing pressure on wild populations.