Uses
The timber of Khaya is called African mahogany, the only timber widely accepted as mahogany besides that of the true mahogany, of the genus Swietenia. Khaya senegalensis, also known as the African dry zone mahogany or Mubaba in the Shona language is also used for its herbaceous parts. In west Africa, Fulani herdmen prune the tree during the dry season to feed cattle. In addition, the bark of K. senegalensis is often harvested from natural populations as well as plantations and used to treat many diseases. The seeds of K. senegalensis have an oil content of 52.5%, consisting of 21% palmitic acid, 10% stearic acid, 65% oleic acid, and 4% "unidentifiable acid"
The durable reddish-brown wood of K. anthotheca is used for dug-out canoes or makoros and as a general beam, door frame and shelving timber which is termite and borer resistant.
Some drum companies, as Premier, used Khaya wood for making their drums in the mid-70s. However, it was too expensive, so they switched to using other materials such as maple and birch.
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