Cedrella odorata

An upright usually evergreen tree 20-35 m with a rounded crown which may have a large bole and slight buttresses in mature specimens. The bitter garlic-onion smell in wood, bark, crushed flowers and leaves is characteristic.
BARK: grey-brown, becomingthick, rough and furrowed, inner bark light brown-pink. Twigs have raised lenticel dots and large, rounded leaf scars.
LEAVES: pinnate, compound to 60 cm long with 10-22 pairsstalked leaflets, long oval, each with long pointed tips and aone-sided rounded base, to a thin stalk, 10-15 cm long, shinyabove.
FLOWERS: in large loose terminal sprays to 30 cm, eachflower yellow-green, and the calyx cup-like, very small, all parts infives.
FRUIT: leathery brown capsules to 3.5 cm, rounded bothends, dotted with paler lenticel dots, hanging on the tree, openinginto 5 sections to release very many tiny seeds, winged at oneend.

Medicine: roots, bark, leaves, flowers, trunk, shavings of the wood, seeds, an oil from the seed. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Cedrela+odorata , http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Cedrela_odorata.PDF
It supplies an excellent timber. The best known use of cedar timber is for cigar boxes, but it is also used for light construction, mouldings, cabinets, furniture, panelling, boxes, exterior joinery, weather boards, louvred doors, boat building (especially racing boats), canoes, musical instruments, turnery, matchboxes, household implements, face veneer and plywood.
Lower grades are suitable for crates, fencing and animal pens.
The repellent smell of the wood to insects makes it particularly suitable for the manufacture of clothing chests and wardrobes. http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Cedrela_odorata.PDF
The bark has been used for making twine.
It provides firewood and charcoal.
Agroforestry: provides bee forage (Apiculture), an excellent choice for use in reforestation project, provides shade or shelter and can act as a windbreak in courtyard gardens and in cocoa and coffee plantations.
An ornamental tree

American cedar is native to South America, and West Indies. There are 9 species of American Cedrella , a subgroup of the commercial mahoganies. The Latin name means the "fragrant little cedar" and the aromatic chemical is a strong insect repellent. This tree is the most important timber for construction in tropical America. In Uganda it grows well in the warm and hot moist climates around Lake Victoria zone and in Western Region near Fort Portal. In Kampala, Cedrella odorata is found along Hajji Musa Kasule road, Sir Apollo Kaggwa road, Kanjokya Street, Upper Kololo terrace among others.

Fast growing. Pruning is not required when grown as a stand but early weeding is essential. Shade and avenue trees have many low branches and spreading crowns.