General Information :

• Short, slender, deciduous, perennial tree, to about 10 m tall;
• Slender drooping branches;
• Stems are brittle with corky bark.
• Flowers are creamy white in color.
• pods are long greenish in color with numerous seeds.

Distribution :

• It is indigenous to sub – Himalayan tract , but commonly cultivated I India, in hedges and home yards.

Habitat : Deciduous forest

Soil : Sandy loam , loam, and moist soils except clay.

Soil pH : 5.5 and 7.5

Altitude :Up to 1200 m (MSL)

Rainfall :750 to 2250 mm

Temperature : 24 - 48°c

Terrain : Plains/ Gentle slopes

Tree Characteristics :

• Strong light demander and susceptible to drought.

Habit : Deciduous Tree

Natural Regeneration :

 

• Naturally reproduce through seeds and coppice.

 

Artificial Regeneration :

• It can be raised by direct sowing, stump cutting and nursery raised seedlings.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Pods are collected in May – June.
• Collected pods are dried in sun, thrashed  to separate clean seed.
• The seeds are stored in air tight container.
• Seeds does not store well.
• Seed rate 8000 to 9000/ Kg.
• Germinative capacity 60-70%.

Seed Treatment :

• Cold water treatment for 12 hours.

Nursery Technique :

• Seeds are sown in June in sunken bed.
• Seed rate is about 30-35 gm/m2 of bed area.
• Nursery beds are irrigated regularly.
• Germination starts in about 8-10 days.
• Seedlings are regularly weeds and spaced 10 cm apart in lines.
• These are fit for planting out and also for making stumps after one year.

Plantation technique :

• Planting out is carried out during July in 30 cm3 pits,
• Under dry conditions, pit size of 60 cm3 with an interval 5 to 10 m Planting should be carried out after the commencement of monsoon

Care & Disease Control :

• Regular weeding and soil working should be taken care.

Agro Forestory :

Boundary/barrier/support:

• Planted as a hedge in courtyards, M. oleifera provides wind protection, shade and support for climbing garden plants.

Major uses :

• The bark is laxative and also stimulates the appetite.
• The juice from the bitter stem bark or root is used in decoction as a laxative against colic and as a febrifuge.
• The bark and the leaves are pounded and applied as a poultice against rheumatism.
• The leaves are heated and applied to treat earache.
• The flower is considered to be astringent and cholagogue.
• The pickled flowers are stomachic.
• The dried fruit is used medicinally.