Vegetation on Kilimanjaro

Vegetation on Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain and the largest freestanding mountain in the world. It has a high diversity of habitats varying with aspect and altitude. Located close to the equator there is a lot of sunlight and plants are prolific. There are two main factors which affect the vegetation on Mount Kilimanjaro, namely altitude and climate.
There are two wet seasons, the short or ‘mango' rains from November to December and the long rains from March to May. The driest time is from August to October, though in my experience the chance of rain and cloud on the mountain is similar all year round. Precipitation is inversely proportional to altitude. Mean precipitation is 230cm in the rain forest (up to 1,830m), 130cm at the upper edge of the forest (2,740m), 52.5cm at Horombo hut in the heath zone (3,718m), and less than 20cm at Kibo hut (4,630m), producing alpine desert conditions. Winds are predominantly from the southeast, and consequently the north slopes experience much less rainfall. Diurnal temperature range is large at higher altitudes. Mist frequently shrouds much of the mountain giving a high humidity with low evaporation rates.
The major types of vegetation found on Mount Kilimanjaro can be roughly described as: montane forest, moorland, upland moor, alpine bogs, and alpine desert (Greenway, 1965). Currently not all the montane forest is in the national park and much has been damaged by cultivation.
Above about 4,600m, very few plants are able to survive the severe conditions, although examples of Helichrysum newii have been found as high as 5,760m (close to a fumarole) and lichens are found right up to the summit.
The upland moor consists mainly of heathers and scrub plants, with Erica arborea, Philippia trimera, Adenocarpus mannii, Protea kilimandscharica, Stoebe kilimandscharica, Myrica meyeri-johannis, and Myrsine africana. Grasses are abundant and Cyperaceae form the dominant ground cover in moist hollows. Flatter areas of heathland between the forest and the moor are covered by Agrostis producta, Koeleria gracilis, Deschampsia sp., and Exotheca abyssinica, with occasional bushes of Adenocarpus mannii and Kotschya recurvifolia.
Various examples of the genus Helichrysum are found in the grasslands and two forms of giant groundsel occur on Mount Kilimanjaro, Senecio johnstonii cottonii, (endemic to the mountain and only occurs above 3600m, and S. johnstonii johnstonii which occurs between 2,450m and 4,000m. At all altitudes groundsel prefers the moist, more sheltered locations. In the alpine bogs it is associated with another highly conspicuous plant, the endemic giant lobelia Lobelia deckenii.
The southern slopes (Machame side) are dominated by Podocarpus spp. and camphorwood Ocotea usambarensis with an understorey of ferns, including tree ferns Cyathea spp. and the long-spiked Lobelia gibberoa, Agauria salicifolia, and Macaranga kilimanjarica. On the Mweka route there is Podocarpus latifolius, and Croton macrostachys. The rain forest stops at about 3000m. The drier northern slopes are dominated by cedar Juniperus procera and olives Olea sp.
Around the villages there are corn and banana farms with coffee (under the banana trees for shade). The taller Grewillea trees shade the banana and coffee plants and are used for construction.

At the other extreme the last flower to usually be found is the yellow Asteraceae, found in alpine region between 4300m and 4700m. After the grass and moss has been left behind then the rocks are covered in lichens particularly on the sides which are exposed to mist.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a delight for the professional and amateur botanist alike. There is also a high diversity of fauna on the lower slopes and the bird life is equally diverse. Kilimanjaro is home to numerous endemic species and is a classic example of zonation. It also shows the effect of evolution through geographical isolation, with the arid steppe separating it from any other forest region.

I recommend that anybody who has an interest in climbing Killi do so soon before all the glaciers melt and there is a dramatic change in the microclimate and vegetation. Always make sure you have adequate equipment for a high mountain climb. Also it is a very good idea to take an acclimatization day on the mountain to give yourself the best chance of making it to the top. For more information please contact

For more information contact Mountain Kingdom Safaris.

Roy J. Hinde M.Sc. Is a former research scientist who is a director of Wild Things Safaris and is is an environmental consultant for Mountain Kingdom Safaris.