Description
Putranjiva Roxburghii, Lucky Bean Tree
Putranjiva roxburghii belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is also locally called Drypetes roxburghii, ”Pra Kham Kai” or ”Ma Kham Kai”. Putranjiva roxburghii is native to Southeast Asia, Japan, and New Guinea.
- Botanical Name – Putranjiva Roxburghii
- Common Name – Childlife Tree
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Genus: Putranjiva
- Flowers: yellowish green.
Putranjiva is a famous, moderate-sized, evergreen tree. It has pendant branches and dark grey bark having horizontal lenticels. Leaves are simple, alternately arranged, dark green, shiny, elliptic-oblong, and distantly serrated. Male flowers, with short stalks, in rounded axillary clusters, female flowers 1-3 in the leaf axil. Fruits ellipsoid or rounded drupes, white velvety; seed normally one, stone pointed, rugose, very hard.
- Putranjiva roxburghii is an evergreen tree growing up to 12 meters tall. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and a source of beads, oil, and wood.
- An attractive tree with pendant branches, it is grown as an ornamental in gardens. The name Putranjivaka denotes- which promotes or gives life to progeny, which promotes fertility, both in men and women. The plant is propagated by seeds.
Why it is known as childlife tree
Planting and care
This plant is propagated through seeds and root suckers. Seed germinates best if the hard seed coat is softened first to allow the ingress of water. Then sow the seeds in the porous potting mix. Monsoon season is best for sowing and planting this plant.
The good thing about:
- Small tree, with so many properties, a maximum height of around 12 meters, and easy to grow and maintain.
- After maturity, The tree leaves and branches cover the ground and make a tree canopy.