General Information :

• It is a small to moderate sized deciduous tree
• Bark dark brown in color.
• Flowers are fragrant white in color.
• Fruit is a capsule filled with 20 – 30 seeds brown color seeds.

Distribution :

• Distributed throughout the drier parts of India.

Habitat : Deciduous forests, especially in dry, mixed forests.

Soil : Prefers a medium soil, but also succeeds in sands and in clays if they are well-drained.

Soil pH : 5.5 - 6.5

Altitude :Up to 1,000 m

Rainfall :1000 மி.மீ

Temperature : 24°c to 47°c

Terrain : Plain/hilly

Tree Characteristics :

• Tree is a light demander and sensitive to frost and shade.
• Tree coppices well

Habit : Deciduous Tree

Natural Regeneration :

•  Seedling regeneration comes up well in good seed year.

Artificial Regeneration :

•  Propagated by Nursery raised seedlings and stumps.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Ripe fruits are collected during February
• Fruits are dried in sun and the seeds are extracted and cleaned.
• Seeds are stored in air tight polythene bags for one year.
• Seed rate is 28000 to 56000/Kg
• Germinative capacity is very poor 2 -3 % only

Seed Treatment :

• Cold water treatment for 48 hours.

Nursery Technique :

• The seeds are sown in nursery beds during April – May
• The beds are watered regularly.
• The germination starts in about 2 weeks and completes in 3 months.
• Two leaf stage seedlings are prick in poly bags and maintained in nursery for one year.

Plantation technique :

• One year old nursery raised seedlings are suitable for planting.
• Planting done during the onset of monsoon.
• Pitting size adopted is 30 cm3 and spacing is 3 m x 3 m

Care & Disease Control :

• Regular weeding and cleaning are required in early stages.
• Tree being a light demander, plantation will require adequate thinning from pole stage onwards.

Irrigation :

For proper growth and survival it is necessary to give one or two waterings after planting. This is specifically required in arid regions. Irrigation after planting is not a prerequisite in areas having sufficient soil moisture and precipitation. Higher survival rate and better rate of growth is reported when soil and water conservation measures are also adopted.

Recommended Harvest :

• 25 to 30 years.

Major uses :

• The wood is fairly durable and easy to saw.
• It is used for building constructions, for door and window frames and agricultural implements, furniture and boats.
• Wood is a good fuel and charcoal.
• Bark is locally used for tannin and fiber production.