Top 20 Most Common Plants in Niger

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Top 20 Most Common Plants in Niger

In Niger, you can find Shea butter, Sweet dattock, Sand crown-berry, Grain sorghum, River red gum, and more! There are 20 types of plants in total. Be sure to look out for these common plants when you’re walking on the streets, in parks, or public gardens.

Most Common Plants

Shea butter

Shea butter is a popular deciduous tree found in savanna habitats and has a wide range of uses. The seeds contain fat (shea butter) that is used in cooking, pastries, moisturizers, soaps, candles, and cosmetics. The bark produces a latex that is used in chewing gum and glue. Both the fruits and flowers are important foods to locals living in savanna habitats.

Sweet dattock

2. Sweet dattock

Sweet dattock is a deciduous West African tree with a broad, spreading canopy. It typically grows in dry, open woodland areas, thriving in well-drained soil. The leaves are pinnate with leaflets arranged in opposite pairs. This tree is known for its small, sweet, fibrous fruits that are valued both for their taste and potential medicinal properties. Its hard, reddish-brown wood is utilized locally in construction and carpentry.

Sand crown-berry

3. Sand crown-berry

Sand crown-berry is a robust, tropical tree that stands out with its reddish-brown bark and elliptical leaves which acquire a glossy green appearance as they mature. This hardy plant often thrives in Savannah landscapes, absorbing the intense sun to bolster its role in traditional medicine, reputed for anti-fever properties. Its resilience against harsh climates is echoed by its firm, upright stance and hearty root system.

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Grain sorghum

4. Grain sorghum

The grain of grain sorghum is utilized for human consumption, animal feed, and ethanol manufacturing. It is commonly grown in tropical and subtropical countries, originating in Africa. The grain is used to make liquor, animal feed, and bio-based ethanol, among other things.

River red gum

5. River red gum

River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is a flowering tree that is iconic and widespread in Australia. River red gum is native and endemic to Australia. This species provides shade from the intense heat in Australia, and is planted alongside bodies of water throughout the continent. River red gum is named for its red-colored wood, which is rot-resistant and popularly used as firewood.

Sweet basil

Sweet basil is a species of mint plant native to Asia and Africa. It is a popular houseplant, and thrives when it receives plenty of regular sun and water. This plant is also easy to transfer from one soil environment to another. The edible sweet basil leaves can be eaten fresh or dried with pizza, salads, soups, teas, and many other dishes.

Asian Rice

Asian Rice is one of the world's most important staple crops. This annual grass, which was first domesticated in China centuries ago, accounts for a significant portion of the diet of half of the world's population. Aside from food, this plant is grown for use in wines, medicines, and cosmetics. It is also used in crafts and religious ceremonies worldwide.

Baobab

Baobab (Adansonia digitata) is indigenous to Africa, Australia, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. It thrives in areas that are dry and hot. It lives longer than virtually all other living things, and there are specimens alive today that are 3,000 years old or more. It has a large, water-filled trunk that is 28 m or more in circumference.

Bridelia ferruginea

9. Bridelia ferruginea

Bridelia ferruginea is a medium-sized deciduous tree characterized by its dense, spreading canopy and rough, rusty-brown bark. The leaves are simple, ovate, and darken as they age, contrasting with the pale green of new growth. This hardy species thrives in a variety of soil types, typically found in African savannas, where its robust nature enables it to withstand dry conditions.

Red syringa

10. Red syringa

Leaves are bipinnately compound, silvery pubescent or glabrescent. Flowers are creamy white, fragrant and in pendulous racemes of up to 30 cm in length.

Cassava

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) comes from South America but has become a major source of carbohydrates for many peoples around the world. This is especially true in low-income areas since it is cheap to grow. Only when properly cooked the starchy root of it is edible. The rest of the plant is poisonous if eaten. Cassava's natural starches are also useful in laundry products, and it is under investigation as a source of biofuel as well.

Guava

Guava (*Psidium guajava*) is a fruit-producing evergreen shrub that grows natively in the Caribbean region and South America. Guava attracts the honey bee and other insects, and guava fruit is edible. Additionally, guava wood is used for smoking meat.

Arrasa con todo

13. Arrasa con todo

Arrasa con todo (Gomphrena serrata) is a low-growing, mound-forming plant native to Central America and the southern states of the USA. It flowers all year round and grows in open sandy areas, on roadsides, in dry, disturbed sites, in lawns, and in open woods and can be considered a weed.

Tamarind

Tamarind is a monotypic perennial tree grown for its timber and edible fruits. Tamarind trees yield brown seed fruits with a sweet, acidic pulp used in various varieties of cuisines around the world. The pulp is also used as a metal polish.

Common purslane

15. Common purslane

Portulaca oleracea, colloquially known as common purslane, is an annual succulent species with reddish stems and tiny yellow, five-petal flowers. It is used for culinary purposes in various parts of the world, most often raw, in salads. Common purslane is also a good companion plant for crops that thrive in moist soils.

Crown of thorns

16. Crown of thorns

The Euphorbia milii is commonly known as the crown of thorns or Christ thorn, as it is believed to the plant associated with the crown of thorns that was worn by Christ. It needs to stay above 10 ℃ with full sun.

Sicklepod

The sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) grows best in full sun and moist soil. It thrives in rocky dirt and nutrient-rich soil. For an annual plant, it's slow to develop and grows best late in its growing season.

Tropical whiteweed

18. Tropical whiteweed

Tropical whiteweed (Ageratum conyzoides) has a very shallow root system, making it capable of growing in thin and rocky soils along just as well as deep and fertile soil. Their seeds have tiny hairs attached to passing wildlife, allowing them to be spread far and wide. The genus name of this plant, Ageratums, means "non-aging" in Greek and refers to its robust growth and long life.

Arrowleaf elephant's ear

19. Arrowleaf elephant's ear

Arrowleaf elephant's ear (*Xanthosoma sagittifolium*) is a herbaceous perennial that can grow from 3 to 3.5 m tall. It has large, blue-green, arrow-shaped leaves that resemble an elephant’s ear. The leaves can grow to 91 cm long, much larger than most elephant ear plants. It prefers partial to full shade.

Watermelon

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a flowering plant with a vine-like appearance native to Western Africa. Watermelon bears fruit that are widely cultivated and consumed across the world. Watermelon grow in tropical and temperate climates and requires warmth to grow. There are 1000 varieties around the world.

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More Plants in Niger

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Most Common Flowers

Niger, Nigeria boasts diverse landscapes that foster the growth of native flowers. The state's unique climatic and soil conditions create an ideal environment for floral proliferation. Among the standout blossoms are , , and . These flowers hold cultural and ecological significance, adding to the aesthetic allure of the area.

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Most Common Trees

Niger, Nigeria's unique climatic conditions and soil dynamics create a fertile environment for native trees like , , and . These trees play a crucial role in the state's ecosystems, symbolizing its cultural and ecological significance. Their presence provides shade, sustains wildlife, and helps combat deforestation. The conservation of these native trees is vital for preserving Niger's natural heritage and maintaining its delicate ecological balance.

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Most Common Flowers of Winter

Winter in Niger, Nigeria, may be known for its icy climate, but it surprisingly nurtures several flowers that bravely bloom during this season. Despite the frigid embrace of Winter, , , and proudly showcase their tenacity and allure. These native blossoms not only add color and beauty to the tranquil cold of Niger, but also symbolize the resilience and strength of nature.

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