General Information :

• It is a large deciduous tree with large wide spread branches.
• Bark smooth light yellowish or greenish grey in color.
• Flowers greenish yellow in color.
• Pods are reddish brown with 6-12 flat greenish brown seeds.

Distribution :

• It is widely distributed in all parts of India.

Habitat : Deciduous and Swamp Forest.

Soil : Moist alluvial soils, well-drained loams or clay soils.

Altitude :Up to 1500 m (MSL)

Rainfall :100-5000 mm

Temperature : 37°C-46°C

Terrain : Plain / hilly

Tree Characteristics :

• Light demander and cannot tolerate suppression.
• Sensitive to frost and drought.
• Coppice well.

Habit : Deciduous Tree

Growth : Fast

Height : 18-24 m

Natural Regeneration :

• Regenerates naturally by seeds under favorable conditions.

Artificial Regeneration :

• Propagated by Nursery raised seedlings.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Pods are collected during May – June
• Seeds are extracted from the pods, shade dried and stored in gunny bags.
• Seed storage behavior is orthodox. 
• Seeds survive 10 years or more at room temperature.
• There are about 17000 viable seeds/kg

Seed Treatment :

• Hot and cold water treatment

 

Nursery Technique :

• Seeds are sown in standard size mother bed during April-May 
• Germination starts in 3-4- days and lasts for three weeks. 
• Pricking out in polythene bags can be done when first pair of leaves is noticed in the nursery seedlings. 
• Sowing pretreated seed can also be done directly in polythene bags filled with equal proportion of sandy loam and FYM.
• Seedlings are placed under shade should be watered twice in a week.
• 3 Month old nursery raised seedlings are fit for planting.

Plantation technique :

• 3 Month old nursery raised seedlings are fit for planting.
• Pit size of 60 cm3 with spacing of 3 m x 3 m or 5m x 5 m can be adopted.
• For afforestation on saline and alkaline soils pitting of 60cm x 60cm x 80cm or 60cm x 60cm x 120cm are adopted.

Care & Disease Control :

• Plantation should be kept weed free.
• Regular soil working is essential

Recommended Harvest :

• 20-40 years.

Yield :

• Approximately 150 to 170 tons /ha*

*Subject to varry according to site factors.

Agro Forestory :

Shade or shelter:

• Occasionally cultivated as shade for tea and coffee plantations.
• Also acts as a wind and firebreak.

Boundary or barrier or support:

• The branches (twigs) are used by tea planters as stakes for laying out tea gardens. These are found to split well.
• The species is popular along field borders.

Major uses :

Timber:

• The wood is used chiefly for construction, furniture, veneer, cabinet work, flooring, agricultural implements, molding, carts, carriages, cane crushers, carvings, boats, oars, oil presses and rice pounders.