General Information :

• It is a small deciduous tree.
• The bark is reddish-brown.
• Its leaves are digitate, dark green in color.
• The fruit is a succulent drupe purple to black in color.

Distribution :

• It grows throughout India.

Habitat : Deciduous Forest

Soil : Wide range of soils

Soil pH : 5 to 6

Altitude :Up to 2000 m (MSL)

Rainfall :600-2000 mm

Temperature : 37 - 40 deg C

Terrain : Plain / hilly

Tree Characteristics :

• Light demander and Drought tolerant

Habit : Deciduous Tree

Natural Regeneration :

 

• Naturally propagated by seed.

 

Artificial Regeneration :

• Propagated by cuttings and seedlings

Seed collection and Storage :

• Seeds are collected from June to August.
• Fresh Fruits on collection should be depulped and shade dried.
• Seed has less viability.

Seed Treatment :

• No seed treatment is required.

Nursery Technique :

• Seeds are directly dibbled into polybags with soil, sand and FYM.
• Fresh seeds should be graded and large size seeds are sown in polybags at the rate of two seeds per bag.
• Two leaf stage seedlings are transplanted into polybags.

Plantation technique :

• Planting is done at the onset of monsoon.
• The land is prepared by loosening the soil through ploughing
• Pit size 30 cm3 and Spacing 3 x 2 m, 3x 3 m

Care & Disease Control :

 

• Weeding and soil working is carried out as and when required.

 

Yield :

Yields of about 0.3 tonnes/hectare of air-dry fuel wood can be obtained when planted on contours 5 metres apart

Major uses :

• Roots and leaves used in eczema, ringworm and other skin diseases, liver disorders, spleen enlargement, rheumatic pain, gout, abscess, backache; seeds used as vermicide.