''Ficus natalensis'' is a tree in the family ''

Moraceae Moraceae is a family of flowering plants comprising about 48 genera and over 1100 species, and is commonly known as the mulberry or fig family. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates; however, their ...

''. It is commonly known as the natal fig in South Africa. In central and western Uganda, where it has an important cultural value, it is known as ''omutuba'' to the

Baganda The Baganda (endonym: ''Baganda''; singular ''Muganda''), are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans (although since a 1993 survey, only 46 are officially recognised), th ...

people and ''omutoma'' to the Banyakitara peoples. In English is sometimes referred as barkcloth fig. It is commonly mistaken for its cousin the Ficus thonningii also known as ''mugumo'' to the

Agikuyu The Kikuyu (also ''Agĩkũyũ/Gĩkũyũ'') are a Bantu ethnic group native to Central Kenya. At a population of 8,148,668 as of 2019, they account for 17.13% of the total population of Kenya, making them Kenya's largest ethnic group. The ...

. These trees are distributed from north-eastern

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

and

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. It is a popular species to cultivate as bonsai due to its fast growth and hardy nature. The bark of the tree is harvested, without harming the tree, to make

barkcloth Barkcloth or bark cloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the family Moraceae, including '' Broussonetia papyrifera'', '' Artocarpus altilis'', '' Artocarpus ...

, an environmentally-friendly, renewable material. Skilled artisans incorporate this unique fabric into many modern uses, including fashion, accessories, housewares, interior design, and art. The vision is to create sustainable jobs in

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

by creating a global demand for

. Mutuba trees can be harvested annually for up to 40 years, yielding up to 200 m² of cloth individually.

References

* Pooley, E. (1993). ''The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei''. .

External links

* natalensis Trees of Africa Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of South Tropical Africa Flora of Southern Africa Flora of Kenya Flora of Mozambique Flora of Uganda Trees of South Africa Taxa named by Christian Ferdinand Friedrich Hochstetter {{Moraceae-stub