Stereospermum kunthianum is an African deciduous shrub or small tree occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Growing to 25 cm diameter, it has thin, grey-black bark, smooth or flaking in patches resembling the London plane; the trunk is rarely straight, with twisted branches.

[2] Usually 5m tall, but occasionally up to 15m, with abundant, fragrant, precocious, pink or purplish flowers, making the tree a spectacular sight.

[3] Analysis has shown the presence of sterols, coumarins, higher fatty acids, and the absence of flavones, aglycone and alkaloids.

[4] Decoctions and infusions of the fruits, bark and roots are used in traditional medicine for pharyngeal affections, leprosy, subcutaneous parasitic infections and other skin afflictions, venereal diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, and as antiemetics, febrifuges, analgesics, vermifuges, diuretics and laxatives.