East Africa Safari ,The Beauty Sorrounded By Trees & Flowers

Do you know that East African wildlife has the variety of features like,mammals,reptiles,insects ,trees & flowers that make it beauty and greener?If not then you have the pleasure to learn about trees & flowers found in East Africa both on the Coastal Region, The National Parks,in plantations ,Nyika Plateaus,on mountains,in semi-arid areas,on islands,lakes,rivers,marshy grounds,swamps,damps,rocky and hillsides .These flowers and trees are differentiated with their appearance,size,and the areas ,that the enviroment favours them.

There are different types of Trees & Flowers found all over East Africa as below,

BOobab

Almost unmistakable ,with its swollen trunk and thick root-like branches.Some specimens have trunks measuring 9m or more in diameter reaching a height of up to 18m.During the dry season they bear no leaves but at the onset of the rains they develop a dense canopy.They bear white flowers about 15cm wide and develop oblong, woody fruits up to 30cm in length. The structures of the trunk is  fibrous andd holds a certain amount of water when no surface water is available. At these times Elephants often inflict considerable damage in search of moisture as relief from the drought conditions.

Yelllow Barked Acacia/Fever Tree

A reasonably common species easily recognised by its yellow/green bark colour. It is usually to be found along the banks of rivers and streams and in areas of damp,marshy ground. Early explorers of the region associated the tree with their developing 'fever' hence the name . Infact the 'fever' was due to malaria transmitted by mosquitoes that principally inhabit the damp areas favoured by this tree.

Flat Topped Acacia

There are some 1,200 species of acacia distributed across the tropical and warm temperature regions of the world. The Flat Topped Acacia is afamiliar sight in grassland areas of East Africa ,its spreading canopy providing shade for many savannah animals. A native tree found over much of Africa and the Middle East, it produces profilic amounts of fruiting pods that provide much needed fodder for animals in dry areas. A medium sized tree growing to a height of around 15m in suitable areas.It is extremely drought resistant and can survive in dry semi desert areas with low annual rainfall. Under these conditions it may only grow to a height of a metre or so.The flowers are white andd grow in small clusters,they have a very aromatic smell. In some regions of Africa the Flat Topped Acacia is the main species collected by local people for firewood and for charcoal production. In some areas of Tanzania this species has been severely reduced by Elephants that strip and eat the bark.

Whistling Acacia

An abundant small bush armed with long white spines and adorned with blackish galls the size of small golf balls.The galls,each of which has several small holes leading to its hollow centre,are inhabited by colonies of aggressive CREMATOGASTER ants, which form mutually beneficial partnership with the acacia. The bush offers housing for the ants by way of the galls and the ants provide protection for the acacia by swarming over any browsing animal and inflicting upleasant  bites to the lips and tongue. Despite the presence of the ants and the sharp spines, Giraffes often browse unconcerned at least for a few  minutes until the ants begin to bite home,thereby encouraging the individual to move on elsewhere.

Sausage Tree

A widely distributed tree in wet savannah areas and along water courses at altitudes below 1,850 m. A substantial tree growing to a height of about 9m, the flowers are trumpet shaped , dull red in colour, about 12cm in length and posses a rather unpleasant smell. The flowers hang on cord-like strings and bloom during the night,falling to the ground during early morning. The fruits are large and hang on the tree like long sausages , hence its popular name. The fruits are not edible but are used for medicinal purposes in some areas. They reach lengths of 60cm and can weigh up to 7kgs.

Candelabra  Tree

A succulent tree common in some areas of the Rift valley . A large forest of Candelabra Trees can be found in Lake Nakuru National Park. They grow to a height of 15m .The trunk is short and thick nd forms a solid base from which spread a multitude of branches that resemble the shape of candelabras.

Flame  Tree

Originally discovered in Madagascar in the early part of the 19th century , this beautiful tree has since been cultivated in tropical regions throughout the world. Growing to  a height of around 15m and flourishing at altitudes below 1,500 m , this tree creates a stunning sight when in full flower. The flowers, which appear before the leaves develop, are rich scarlet red and grow in dense clusters . A  decidous tree that sheds its fern-like leaves at the onset of the dry season, having flowered andd developed long brown seedpods.

Date  Palm

Common throughout much of the region in the hotter drier areas, usually to be found along the banks of streams and rivers. Arab traders first introduced the Date Palm to the region as asource of food. Growing to a height of 20-50m , the slender trunk iscrowned with 30-40 pinnate leaves up to 4m in length. There are in the region of 40 different cultivated varieties of Date Palm throughout the tropics, the fruits of which ripen at different times of the year . The leaves are used in the production of baskets and mats.

Doum Palm

One of the easiest palms to identify, being the only one having branches which divide regularly into two.They often reach heights in excess of 15m. The fruit is orange/brown in colour and about 8cm long. It is not edible by humans but is eaten by elephants that are, to a great extend, responsible for seed dispersal.The leaves of the Doum Palm are used in weaving of baskets and mats.

Coconut Palm

Some mystery still surrounds the original home of this species, but it is  assumed by many to have drifted on ocean currents from South America to colonise the African shores . Growing to a height of around 30m ,the slender trunk is usually swollen at the base and is crowned with 20-30 pinnate leaves reaching up to 6m in length.Restricted in distribution to coastal regions the Coconut Palm is extremely salt tolerant and can live for up to 100 years , producing 50-80 fruits each year. The fruiting nut provides a valuable source of food and drink in some areas as well as the outer husk fibres providing material for rope making,matting and house thatching.

Jacaranda

An original native of Brazil  this tree can now be found in parks,gardens and city centre avenues over much of the region. They grow to aheight of 10m or more and have fine fern-like leaves which they shed during the dry season. The flower after the short rains blossoming into a mass of delicate bell-shaped violet blue flowers, which grow in clusters.

Bottlebrush Tree

Originally from Australia these very ornament trees have beeen extensively planted in parks and gardens throughout the region. It derives its name from the numerous red flowers arranged around a stem in the shape of a bottlebrush . They produce woody fruits that are disc shaped . They can grow to heights in excess of 7m.

Candle Bush

A comparatively small shrub reaching a height of around 3-4m at most. It has a rounded shape and bears very handsome erect spikes of yellow flowers giving the effect of a candelabra bearing numerous canddles, hence its common name. It is commonly found along roadside verges and woodland edges over much of the region.

Sisal

A native plant of Mexico imported to East Africa by early settlers and extensively cultivated for the manufacture of twine and rope. Although not cultivated to gthe same extend today it can still be found in parks and gardens and along roadside verges. It has elongated leaves up to 1.5m in length that have sharp spines at the tips and grow in a circular formation at ground level. The flowering spike,which erupts from the centre of its cluster of leaves,grows to a height of 6m and bears branches of yellow flowers.

Aloe

There are in the region of 60 Aloe species to be found in East Africa.Volkensii is tall, growing up to 6m in height. It has grey-green leaves forming a rosette at the top from which branch spikes of red flowers. They are found at altitudes upto 2,300m, usually on rocky ground.

Frangipani

Originating in the West Indies this familiar small tree is often found in parks and gardens throughout the tropics.It has a distinctive shape with regular branching . The flowers are variable in colour including pink,white and yellow and are strongly scented.The petals are arranged in an overlapping fashion, reminiscent of an open fan. It is thought to have been named after the French botanist Charles Plumier who first described it during his travels in the Caribbean in the 17th century.

Desert Rose

An indigenous succulent scrub or small tree of dry areas and rocky hillsides throughout much of the region  at low altitudes. The trunk and branches have a swollen and slunted apppearance and bear very attractive pink flowers about 5cm across.The sap is very toxic and in the past was used by local people to impregnate arrowheads.

Bourgainvillea

A very attractive and common native shrub of Brazil found thoughout  East Africa. It is thorny shrub often forming dense hedges in parks and gardens and is amass of the most colourful bracts which  range  from purple to crimson,pink,red,white and yellow.

Pyjama Lily

This very attractive plant has long tubular flowers that are pink and white striped, giving rise to its popular name Pyjama Lily .The leaves are grey-green in colour. It is a reasonably common plant of open grasslands at altitudes up to 2,700m.

Fireball Lily

This superb lily appears soon after the first rains in areas of open grassland and savannah ,on rocky hillsides and forest edges at altitudes up to 2,200m. The spectacular red flowers are carried on a single stem and as many as 150 individual flowers can be found in one spherical spike which can be 20cm in diameter. Once the flowers have faded and died the thick upright leaves appear.

Sodoms Apple

There are around 50 species of solanum to be found in East Africa :incanum is very common along roadside verges and on areas of waste ground. It is quick to colonise recently excavated ground.It is a very  tough shrub with fearsome spines on the stems and stalks. It bears flowers that are blue to mauve with yellow centres that measure around 15mm across. The fruits take the form of hard yellow balls which although edible are rather bitter.

Leonotis Nepetifolia

There are 9 species of leonotis to be found in East Africa,L. nepetifolia is very common over most of the region, flourishing along roadside verges. A plant growing to 1.5m with spherical clusters of orange flowers growing at intervals along the plants woody stem. The individual flowers, of which there are many on each cluster,are about 25mm in length.

All the mentioned species of  Trees & Flowers are found in East Africa for you to have a scenic safari you can use A Private Charter Fixed Wing Or Helicopter. East  Africa inhabitants are farmers and they own big plantations of maize, sugarcanne,cassava,millet,finger millet,flowers,potatoes,soyabeans,pyrethrum,sunflower which earns them foreign exchange when they export them.There are Major International Airports to serve these purpose in Uganda, Entebbe International Airport,Tanzania, Daresaalam International Airport ,Kilimanjaro International Airport andd Mwanza while in Kenya Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,Eldoret International and Moi International Airport for cargo and freight flights all over the world.You can do aerial survey and photography of  The Great Rift Valley in Kenya,Ngorongoro Crater and  Oldonyo Lengai In Tanzania and Karuma Falls ,Kabalega in Uganda.

You come as a visitor and you get to discover area of investments with you bussiness and gives an opportunity to use you holiday as abussiness venture, what a great deal!East Africa is comprised of many bussiness opportunities which when visiting can take advantage to learn more and even invest. There are mining sites in Tanzania ,Geita  85 miles North of Mwanza .

We have companies providing both commercial flights and private charters all over East Africa ranging from Bussiness Jets,Beechcrafts, Caravans,Helicopters,Small piston engine aircrafts.Especially Kenya and Uganda is the gateway for flights to the war troubled South sudan,Democratic Republic Of Congo and Chad.United Nations and Ngos have their Regional offices located in Kenya and Uganda for the Eastern and Central Africa operations.

All you need, safaris,wildlife,flights,investments  are all available in East Africa.