Elaeocarpus angustifolius Seeds | Rudraksha Tree
LATIN NAME: Elaeocarpus angustifolius
COMMON NAME: Rudraksha Tree, Blue Marble Tree, Blue Quandong
Plant Profile
Elaeocarpus angustifolius, better known as Rudraksha Tree, is a tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae. Leaves are long, narrow and finely toothed, glossy green above and pale beneath, and tree grows steadily into a broad, rounded crown twenty metres or more across. It asks for warmth, steady moisture and plenty of light, and in a frost-free garden it becomes a handsome shade tree with an extraordinary harvest of blue marbles. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the Elaeocarpaceae family, Elaeocarpus angustifolius draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. In horticulture, tree is valued for its handsome evergreen form, its fragrant flowers and its striking blue fruits, and it is studied for cultivation in gardens and along streets in warm regions. Because it has been grown for so long, its garden habits are thoroughly documented.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Rudraksha Tree earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Ecologically, rudraksha tree is a valuable tree of tropical forest. Its flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its blue fruits are eaten and dispersed by birds and bats, and its large crown gives shade and shelter for wildlife. Rudraksha beads are one of the most commercially important plant products in South Asia, worn as sacred objects and sold in vast numbers, and tree also yields useful timber. It establishes readily and then requires nothing out of the ordinary.
A tree like this repays patience for decades: it cools and shelters its surroundings, hosts birds and insects, and stores carbon in timber that outlives its planter.
Growing from Seed
Raising Rudraksha Tree from seed is straightforward. Growing a rudraksha tree from seed is easy and very rewarding. Seeds sit inside blue fruits, and they do well in warm, moist conditions. Sow on the surface of a gritty, well-drained mix, cover lightly with fine compost, and maintain gentle, even moisture in a sunny position. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
It is a solid representative of the Elaeocarpus group, true to type from seed. Beginners will find it patient of imperfect technique.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Rudraksha Tree: