Butea monosperma
Ignite your landscape with the divine beauty of the Flame of the Forest! This isn't just a tree; it's a living spectacle. Each year, the Butea monosperma sheds its leaves to produce an explosion of fiery, orange-red blossoms that will stop visitors in their tracks. Incredibly tough and water-wise, it's the perfect statement piece for any garden needing a touch of the extraordinary. Own a piece of sacred tradition and natural artistry. Order your Flame of the Forest sapling today and watch the legend grow.
1. Basic Identification
Common Name: Flame of the Forest
Botanical Name: Butea monosperma
Former Name: Erythrina monosperma
Plant Type: Deciduous Tree
Plant Code / SKU: PLT-1995
Alternative Names:
Palash
Dhak
Bastard Teak
Parrot Tree
2. Taxonomy & Classification
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Butea
3. Origin & Distribution
Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
4. Visual Characteristics
Leaves: Pinnately compound with three broad, leathery leaflets (trifoliate). The leaves are large, up to 15-20 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, and are typically shed before flowering.
Flowers: Bright, flame-orange to scarlet red flowers, about 2.5 cm long. They grow in dense clusters on leafless branches and have a distinct, curved shape resembling a parrot's beak.
Stem/Trunk: A small to medium-sized tree with a characteristically crooked, gnarled trunk and rough, greyish-brown bark. The bark exudes a reddish gum when injured.
Fruit: A flat, fibrous, single-seeded pod (legume), 15-20 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, covered in silvery-white hairs.
5. Size & Dimensions
Height: Typically grows to 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) tall.
Width/Spread: Develops a wide, rounded, and often irregular crown with a spread of 10-12 meters (30-40 feet).
6. Light Requirements
Prefers full sun. Requires at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for vigorous growth and abundant flowering. It can tolerate partial shade but flowering will be significantly reduced.
7. Watering Needs
Highly drought-tolerant once established. Young trees require regular watering to establish a strong root system. Mature trees need very little supplemental water, thriving in dry conditions. Ensure excellent drainage to prevent root rot.
8. Soil & Potting
Extremely adaptable to a wide range of soils, including poor, sandy, saline, and alkaline soils. It performs best in well-drained, deep loamy or sandy loam soil. It is not typically grown as a potted plant due to its size and deep root system.
9. Temperature & Humidity
Temperature: Thrives in hot climates. It is hardy in USDA zones 10-12 and can tolerate temperatures up to 49°C (120°F). It can also withstand brief periods of light frost down to -1°C (30°F).
Humidity: Adapts well to a wide range of humidity levels, from dry arid conditions to the high humidity of monsoon seasons.
10. Fertilization
Generally does not require fertilizer, especially once established. As a member of the legume family (Fabaceae), it can fix its own nitrogen from the atmosphere. If grown in very poor soil, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be applied to young plants in the spring to encourage initial growth.
11. Maintenance & Care Level
Low maintenance. Once established, it is a very hardy and self-sufficient tree. Pruning is not usually necessary but can be done to remove dead or damaged branches and to shape the tree when young. It naturally sheds its leaves annually.
12. Growth & Propagation
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate.
Propagation: Primarily propagated from seeds, which should be sown fresh for best germination rates. Seeds can be soaked in warm water for 24 hours before planting. It can also be propagated through root suckers and stem cuttings.
13. Common Problems
Pests: Generally pest-resistant but can occasionally be affected by leaf-eating caterpillars or scale insects. Healthy trees are rarely seriously damaged.
Diseases: Very resistant to diseases. The primary issue can be root rot if planted in waterlogged or poorly drained soil.
14. Benefits & Uses
Ornamental: Highly valued as an ornamental tree for its spectacular, fiery blossoms that cover the tree in late winter and spring.
Medicinal: Various parts of the tree, including the flowers, bark, leaves, and gum, are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for their astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Cultural: The flowers are used to make a traditional yellow-orange dye for coloring fabrics and for the Indian festival of Holi. The leaves are used to make disposable plates and bowls (pattals).
Economic: The tree is a host for the lac insect, which produces shellac. The wood is used for fuel and charcoal, and the gum (known as Bengal Kino) has commercial uses.
15. Toxicity & Safety
Generally considered non-toxic to humans and animals. Parts of the plant are used in traditional food and medicine. However, as with any plant not intended for consumption, it is best to prevent pets and children from ingesting large quantities. Always consult a professional before using any plant for medicinal purposes.
Butea monosperma
Ignite your landscape with the divine beauty of the Flame of the Forest! This isn't just a tree; it's a living spectacle. Each year, the Butea monosperma sheds its leaves to produce an explosion of fiery, orange-red blossoms that will stop visitors in their tracks. Incredibly tough and water-wise, it's the perfect statement piece for any garden needing a touch of the extraordinary. Own a piece of sacred tradition and natural artistry. Order your Flame of the Forest sapling today and watch the legend grow.
1. Basic Identification
Common Name: Flame of the Forest
Botanical Name: Butea monosperma
Former Name: Erythrina monosperma
Plant Type: Deciduous Tree
Plant Code / SKU: PLT-1995
Alternative Names:
Palash
Dhak
Bastard Teak
Parrot Tree
2. Taxonomy & Classification
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Butea
3. Origin & Distribution
Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
4. Visual Characteristics
Leaves: Pinnately compound with three broad, leathery leaflets (trifoliate). The leaves are large, up to 15-20 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, and are typically shed before flowering.
Flowers: Bright, flame-orange to scarlet red flowers, about 2.5 cm long. They grow in dense clusters on leafless branches and have a distinct, curved shape resembling a parrot's beak.
Stem/Trunk: A small to medium-sized tree with a characteristically crooked, gnarled trunk and rough, greyish-brown bark. The bark exudes a reddish gum when injured.
Fruit: A flat, fibrous, single-seeded pod (legume), 15-20 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, covered in silvery-white hairs.
5. Size & Dimensions
Height: Typically grows to 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) tall.
Width/Spread: Develops a wide, rounded, and often irregular crown with a spread of 10-12 meters (30-40 feet).
6. Light Requirements
Prefers full sun. Requires at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for vigorous growth and abundant flowering. It can tolerate partial shade but flowering will be significantly reduced.
7. Watering Needs
Highly drought-tolerant once established. Young trees require regular watering to establish a strong root system. Mature trees need very little supplemental water, thriving in dry conditions. Ensure excellent drainage to prevent root rot.
8. Soil & Potting
Extremely adaptable to a wide range of soils, including poor, sandy, saline, and alkaline soils. It performs best in well-drained, deep loamy or sandy loam soil. It is not typically grown as a potted plant due to its size and deep root system.
9. Temperature & Humidity
Temperature: Thrives in hot climates. It is hardy in USDA zones 10-12 and can tolerate temperatures up to 49°C (120°F). It can also withstand brief periods of light frost down to -1°C (30°F).
Humidity: Adapts well to a wide range of humidity levels, from dry arid conditions to the high humidity of monsoon seasons.
10. Fertilization
Generally does not require fertilizer, especially once established. As a member of the legume family (Fabaceae), it can fix its own nitrogen from the atmosphere. If grown in very poor soil, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer can be applied to young plants in the spring to encourage initial growth.
11. Maintenance & Care Level
Low maintenance. Once established, it is a very hardy and self-sufficient tree. Pruning is not usually necessary but can be done to remove dead or damaged branches and to shape the tree when young. It naturally sheds its leaves annually.
12. Growth & Propagation
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate.
Propagation: Primarily propagated from seeds, which should be sown fresh for best germination rates. Seeds can be soaked in warm water for 24 hours before planting. It can also be propagated through root suckers and stem cuttings.
13. Common Problems
Pests: Generally pest-resistant but can occasionally be affected by leaf-eating caterpillars or scale insects. Healthy trees are rarely seriously damaged.
Diseases: Very resistant to diseases. The primary issue can be root rot if planted in waterlogged or poorly drained soil.
14. Benefits & Uses
Ornamental: Highly valued as an ornamental tree for its spectacular, fiery blossoms that cover the tree in late winter and spring.
Medicinal: Various parts of the tree, including the flowers, bark, leaves, and gum, are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for their astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Cultural: The flowers are used to make a traditional yellow-orange dye for coloring fabrics and for the Indian festival of Holi. The leaves are used to make disposable plates and bowls (pattals).
Economic: The tree is a host for the lac insect, which produces shellac. The wood is used for fuel and charcoal, and the gum (known as Bengal Kino) has commercial uses.
15. Toxicity & Safety
Generally considered non-toxic to humans and animals. Parts of the plant are used in traditional food and medicine. However, as with any plant not intended for consumption, it is best to prevent pets and children from ingesting large quantities. Always consult a professional before using any plant for medicinal purposes.