General Information :

• A deciduous tree with a girth of up to 1m and grows to 15-25m tall.
• Flowers are a bright yellow and grow in clusters on upright stalks.
• It would be fragrant particularly at night.
• Flowers may occur throughout the year for younger trees, however, flowering usually occurs from March-May and a second flush of flowers may occur in September-November.
• Seedpods are flat, thin and winged. In the initial stages seedpods are red, and then gradually turning black.

Distribution :

• From India and Sri Lanka, through Southeast Asia to Northern Australia

Habitat : Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Soil : Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Heavy Clay Soils, Alkaline (high pH) Soils.

Altitude :0-1600 m

Rainfall :Moderate rainfall

Temperature : 27 - 36°c

Terrain : Terrestrial (Coastal Forest), Shoreline (Mangrove Forest; Sandy Beach)

Tree Characteristics :

• Plants can tolerate moderate levels of salt in the soil.

Habit : Evergreen tree

Natural Regeneration :

• Naturally regenerated by seeds.

Artificial Regeneration :

• Artificial reproduction is common by Nursery raised seedlings.

Seed collection and Storage :

• No Pretreatment Required.

Seed Treatment :

• Flowering and fruiting: March-May.
• Pods are then dried in the sun and broken to extract the seeds and  stored in gunny bags.

Nursery Technique :

• Seeds can be sown in semi-shade, either in nursery beds or in individual containers. When fresh seed is used, a germination rate in excess of 80% usually occurs within 8 - 15 days.
• Seedlings should be placed in individual containers by the time they are 6 - 10cm tall, and are ready to plant out when 7 months old.

Plantation technique :

• Dig pits of 30 cm3.
• Fill up the pits with top soil mixed with 10 Kg of FYM and 1 Kg of Neem cake per pit.
• The seedlings are generally planted in pits having the size of 30x30x30 cm. The most common spacing adopted for plantation is 5m x 5m. On road sides, deeper pits of the size of 45 x 45 x 45 cm are preferred.

Care & Disease Control :

• In early stages weeding is necessary. In second year, soil working is important.

Major uses :

• The wood is used locally for light construction purposes, cabinet making.
• Used as a fodder, in Apiculture, fuelwood.
• The bark contains tannins. In traditional medicine it is used as an astringent.
• The dye, derived from the heart wood, is applied in the textile industry.
• It is planted as a shade tree in coffee and cacao plantations and is used in shelterbelts because it is wind firm.