News Published: 01 October 2024

Rytigynia ruwenzoriensis, a shrub or small tree native to Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. However, there is scant published information on its growth patterns.

In a BGCI newsletter from January, 2024, we reported that LuTreeCo planted ten six-month-old R. ruwenzoriensis seedlings in a Miyawaki plot alongside multiple specimens of 35 other native species on November 1, 2022. By December 14, 2023, one of these seedlings had blossomed, leading them to deduce that R. ruwenzoriensis can progress from seed to bloom within 18 to 19 months.

Throughout 2024, each of the ten saplings flowered at least once, albeit without fruiting. It is with pleasure that we announce, as of September 30, 2024, seven out of the ten saplings are bearing fruit, and the remaining three are flowering, with the expectation of fruiting soon. We are eager to continue the sustainable propagation of this vulnerable species from seeds, aiding in its eventual delisting from threatened species.