PlantsMap

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5 plants worth knowing

Guinea

Guinea is known as the “water tower of West Africa” – the Niger, Senegal and Gambia rivers all rise on the Fouta Djallon plateau and in the mountains of the south. The humid coast with its mangroves and palm groves gives way to the grassy plateaus of Fouta Djallon, the dry savannas of Upper Guinea with their shea trees, and the rainforests of the Forest Region in the south-east.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. African oil palm 1

    palm

    African oil palm

    Elaeis guineensis

    A palm that carries Guinea in its name – it gives red palm oil, palm wine and leaves for roofing.
  2. Gbanja kola 2

    tree

    Gbanja kola

    Cola nitida

    In Guinea bitter, stimulating kola nuts are a gift of hospitality – offered at engagements, weddings and reconciliations.
  3. Shea tree 3

    tree

    Shea tree

    Vitellaria paradoxa

    The shea tree – from its nuts women make shea butter by hand, used in cooking and in cosmetics around the world.
  4. Fonio 4

    crop

    Fonio

    Digitaria exilis

    The world’s smallest grain and one of Africa’s oldest cereals – Guinea is its largest producer.
  5. Pineapple 5

    crop

    Pineapple

    Ananas comosus

    Sweet pineapples from around Kindia are the pride of coastal Guinea – once exported to France by the shipload, now sold at every roadside stall.