General Information :

• Arjuna is a large deciduous tree with spreading crown and drooping branches.
• Its bark is thick, grey to pinkish green in color.
• Leaves are usually sub-opposite and heart shaped.
• Flowers in panicaled spikes, with hairy growth.
• Fruit is a fibrous-woody drupe.
• It is dark brown when mature and has five hard, projecting and veined wings.

Distribution :

• Arjuna grows throughout the greater parts of India.

Habitat : The dry Deciduous Forests

Soil : Loose, moist, alluvial loam with good water supply and drainage.

Soil pH : 8.5–10.5

Altitude :Up to 1500 m (MSL)

Rainfall :750–1900 mm

Temperature : 20–30°C

Terrain : Plains / Rivaraine Area

Tree Characteristics :

• Shade bearer ad sensitive to frost and drought.

Habit : Deciduous tree

Natural Regeneration :

• Naturally regenerated by seeds and coppice.
• It can be witnessed along the water coarse.

Artificial Regeneration :

• By root-suckers, stumps and air-layering

Seed collection and Storage :

• The tree produces abundant seed annually.
• Fruits are ripen during the months of May-June.
• About 14-15 seeds weigh one gram.
• Seeds can be stored for 2 years under ordinary conditions.

Seed Treatment :

• Seeds are soaked in hot water for 1 minute and left in cold water for 48 hours before sowing.

Nursery Technique :

• Seeds are sown in mother bed during March – April.
• Germination stats in a week and complete in a month.
• Beds are regularly watered and weeded.
• 3-4 months old nursery raised seedlings are fit for planting.

Plantation technique :

 

• Planting of 2-3 months old seedlings nursery Raised seedlings seedlings at a spacing 3 m x 3 m in 30 cm3 pits.

 

Care & Disease Control :

 

• Plantation should be weed free and with proper soil working.

 

Recommended Harvest :

 

• 16 years.

 

Yield :

• Approximately 120 – 150 tons/ha.

Major uses :

• The timber  is greyish-brown with dark streaks, hard and heavy, and used for the construction of carts and boats, for general construction, agricultural implements, water troughs, traps, electric poles, plywood and mine props.  
• Leaves are fed for tusar silk worm.
• It is one of the finest avenue tree.

Market details :

• Approximately Rs.3200 to Rs.3500 /ton.