PlantsMap

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8 plants worth knowing

Niger

Two-thirds of Niger lies in the Sahara – the Aïr Mountains rise in the north and the Ténéré Desert stretches out, while in the south, in the Sahel belt, farmers grow millet and cowpeas among acacias and doum palms. The country has become famous for restoring trees to farmland: by protecting self-sown seedlings, trees have returned to millions of hectares, mainly Faidherbia albida.

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

where it grows

  1. Apple-ring acacia 1

    tree

    Apple-ring acacia

    Faidherbia albida

    Thanks to farmers who began protecting gao shoots in their fields, trees have returned to about 5 million hectares of southern Niger.
  2. Umbrella thorn 2

    tree

    Umbrella thorn

    Vachellia tortilis

    The Tree of Ténéré belonged to this species – a lone acacia considered the most isolated tree on Earth, knocked down by a lorry in 1973.
  3. Pearl millet 3

    crop

    Pearl millet

    Cenchrus americanus

    Pearl millet is Niger’s most important cereal – the country is one of the world’s largest producers, and millet porridge is on the table every day.
  4. Doum palm 4

    palm

    Doum palm

    Hyphaene thebaica

    With its forked trunk, the doum palm gives Niger leaves for mats and baskets, and sweet, fibrous fruits sold at markets.
  5. Cowpea 5

    crop

    Cowpea

    Vigna unguiculata

    Niger is the world’s second-largest cowpea producer after Nigeria – its black-eyed seeds are fried into popular kosai fritters.
  6. Sorghum 6

    crop

    Sorghum

    Sorghum bicolor

    Sorghum is Niger’s second cereal after millet – its grain is cooked into porridges and gruels and brewed into traditional beer.
  7. Onion 7

    crop

    Onion

    Allium cepa

    Niger’s purple “Violet de Galmi” onion is known throughout West Africa and is one of the country’s key exports.
  8. Moringa 8

    tree

    Moringa

    Moringa oleifera

    Moringa leaves are one of Niger’s most popular vegetables – served, for example, in kopto salad with roasted peanuts.