Earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) is an evergreen tree that can grow from 20 to 27 m tall. It is a fast-growing tree with a gnarly trunk and is often multi-stemmed. It blooms in spring with yellowish-orange spiked clusters. Each tree produces about 47,000 seeds per year. It is becoming an invasive tree, displacing vegetation and native plants.

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.

It is generally 91 to 152 cm tall, occasionally up to 3 m. Stems are hairy and square in cross-section. Leaves are oppositely arranged, 2 to 10 cm long, with shallowly toothed margins, and emit a strong minty odor if crushed. Flowers are pink or purple, arranged in clusters of 2.5 to 13 cm in the upper leaf axils.

Kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) is a rain forest plant that can shoot up to as much as 61 m. It towers over every other plant in its native habitat. The trunk can get as wide as 3 m in diameter. Its nooks and crannies are hosts to a staggering array of both plant and animal species, including birds and frogs.

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

Blue Mistflower is a flowering shrub in the sunflower family. Allergies to this plant can cause asthma and skin rashes. It is an invasive species in tropical and subtropical pastures and agricultural fields, outcompeting more useful crops. It disperses via spiky seeds that float down waterways and are light enough to be carried by the wind.

The common bushweed (*Flueggea virosa*) is a bushy shrub that produces white, waxy fruits favored by animals and birds. Native to Southern Africa on woodland margins and riverbanks, it has also become naturalized in Hawaii and parts of China, where it is invasive and disruptive to local ecosystems. Common bushweed branches are regularly used to create handmade fish traps.

The poison tree is a large tropical tree whose latex is used as a traditional poison coating for arrows and darts. The inner bark that gives the toxins is also used for making cloth, sandals, sacks, mats, and paper. It also contains tannins which can be used for dyeing. Its seeds are dispersed by birds and bats.

Sida acuta is a flowering perennial in the mallow family that is known as common Wireweed. The plant gets its name from its tough, wiry stems and branches. Though common Wireweed is native to Central America and southern North America, this hardy plant has become invasive elsewhere - its wiriness, unfortunately, makes it very difficult to remove from the ground by hand.

Variable combretum is most notable for its strangely shaped fruit. These dark brown fruits are four-winged and variable in shape, explaining the common name of the tree. Sadly though, they are not edible fruits.

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.

Neem tree (*Azadirachta indica*) is a flowering tree species related to mahogany and with an appearance similar to that of the chinaberry tree. For centuries, it has played an important role in Indian culture. Commercially, the neem tree is used to produce neem oil, pesticides, and cosmetics.

Mango tree is a large tree native to the Indian subcontinent. It is most well-known for the tropical fruit it produces, and mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Mango tree can also be used for wood after the tree’s fruit production is over. This type of wood is highly prized for making musical instruments.

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.

Chamaecrista (Chamaecrista mimosoides) is sometimes planted on barren soils for its ability to improve them and increase fertility. It is also occasionally cultivated as animal fodder despite the fact that it contains the toxin anthraquinone chrysophanol. This bushy perennial herb can be most easily differentiated from similar species by a winged projection on the upper side of its leaves.

Pincushion tree is a versatile, tropical tree with a broad crown, providing ample shade. Its robust trunk supports large, elliptical leaves with a leathery texture, often sought after for their medicinal qualities. Clusters of small, greenish-white flowers bloom on pincushion tree, attracting a variety of pollinators. The plant thrives in rich, moist soils, often along riverbanks, benefiting from abundant water and sunlight.

Wild custard apple is a common fruit in African markets, sought for its pineapple-like smell, sweet taste and use for flavoring ice cream and other treats. It is also frequently grazed by livestock, and its bark is sometimes used to make insecticides.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual grain legume that is an important crop in many regions. The plant has been used as forage for animals and for cow feed. It can be short and bushy or grow as a long vine up to 2 m tall. The edible seeds and seed pods are very small and kidney-shaped.

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.

It may surprise you to know that cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is related to poison ivy, pistachio, and even mango! It is a tropical evergreen native to Brazil and produces a wood used to build shipping crates, boats, and charcoal. The resin in the shells of the fruits are used to make insecticides and plastics, so the nuts must be separated from the shells before being sold as food. Explorers from Portugal are responsible for introducing cashews to the outside world.