Camel’s Foot Tree

The Camel’s Foot Tree in Kenya is a large tree with pink flowers and leaves in the shape of a camel’s foot. It is native to East Africa and is commonly found in fresh water, although it does not like water-logged soil. It is now becoming rare.

The Camel’s Foot (Piliostigma thonningii) is called Msabuni in Kiswahili, which means soap. By boiling its ashes and oil in water, a type of soap is created.

The pods and seeds (the size of a large pea) are a source of blue dye, while black dye comes from its roasted seeds. Its boiled roots produce a red dye.

The pods and roasted seeds are edible. 

It can grow to about seven metres (23 feet) and the branches can be used for fence posts and poles.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).