Albizzia odoratissima, Benth.

Family: Leguminosae - Mimosoideae

Common Name: Ceylone rose wood, Black siris
Telugu Name: Chinduga

 General:

Its occurence in our forests is rather infrequent. It is not exacting as regards the soil requirement. Identified by dark green foliage, grey bark with irregular cracks and darker patches. It coppices well and produces root suckers.

Flowering:

Pale yellowish white fragrant flowers appear from April to June.

 

Reddish brown pod with darker blotches

Fruiting:

Pods reach full size by October and November and complete ripening by December-January.

Morphology of the Fruit/Seed:

Pods 10 to 30 cms by 1.8 to 3.0 cms in size, thin, flexible, tomentose when young, but glabrous when old; reddish brown with darker blothces indicating the position of the seeds, shortly stipitate; seeds 8 to 12.

Seed Collection and Storage:

Pods are collected by lopping the branches, dried in the sun and then the seeds are harvested. Seeds can be stored for quite a long period in gunny bags without loss of viability.

Seed Biology:

No. of seeds per Kg.
Germination percentage
Plant percent
No. of seedlings per Kg. of seed
15,500
47
47
7285
 

Pretreatment:

To hasten the germination, soak the seeds in cold water for 24 hours.

Nursery Technique:

Treated seeds are sown in polybags in April. Germination starts after 7 to 10 days and is profuse. Seedlings reach plantable size by July to August.