The Mongongo is a deciduous nut-bearing tree measuring ***0m tall,
1.5 cm in diameter with contorted branches bearing slender sprays
of white to yellow flowers. The mature wood is golden in color and
has similar properties to balsa, being both lightweight and strong.
It has dark green hand-shaped leaves (digitally compound).
The elliptical fruits are reddish-brown and consist of a thin layer
of sweet pulp surrounding a tasty nut kernel, comparable to an
almond. In a good year these fruits may be knee deep under the
trees, yielding ******0kg/ha.
The Mongongo tree grows on seasonal dry lands, surviving reliable
rains and temperatures ranging from *4° F in winter to well over
**0° F in summer and is adapted to withstand several years of
drought. The Mongongo trees of Southern Africa grow in large
groves, stretching for several kilometers across the well-drained
sands of the Kalahari Sand Plateau. The kernel of the Mongongo
fruit is bright yellow oil, rich in proteins. The oil is cold
pressed from the fruits.
The bright yellow oil pressed from the seeds of the mongongo tree
contains high
levels of vitamin E (tocopherol), linoleic and eleostearic
acids, making it a very useful oil for skin protection. It
is effective not only for hydrating the skin but also for
restructuring and regenerating the epidermis.
The eleostearic acid reacts rapidly with UV light, producing
polymerisation and providing a protective layer. The oil is has
excellent stability and is proven in the heat of Southern
Africa.
