Albizia odoratissima Seeds | Ceylon Rosewood
LATIN NAME: Albizia odoratissima
COMMON NAME: Black Siris
Plant Profile
Albizia odoratissima is a large tree of the Indian subcontinent, grown for timber that is hard, dark and takes a fine polish. The leaves are twice-divided and fern-like, and the flowers are pale yellow, in fragrant heads that open at night. The pods are thin and flat, and they ripen in winter. The tree reaches thirty metres with a straight trunk and a broad crown.
The species grows from the Himalayan foothills south through India and into Sri Lanka, in both dry and moist deciduous forest, and it is one of the most valuable timber trees of the region. The wood is sold as siris, and it is used for furniture, for veneer, for boats and for agricultural implements. The bark yields a tannin, and the leaves are used for fodder.
Science & Biotechnology
The timber is hard, heavy and resistant to termites, and it is one of the few Indian woods that combines strength with a fine figure. The tree fixes nitrogen and grows fast enough to be harvested in twenty-five years, which is why it is planted in farm forestry and in shade plantations.
The flowers open at night and are pollinated by moths, and the scent is strong enough to be noticed from a distance. The seed is dispersed by wind, and it germinates readily on bare soil. The tree is also a host of lac insects, and the bark is used in tanning and in medicine.
Uses & Benefits
The wood is used for furniture, for veneer, for boat building and for agricultural implements, and it is one of the main timbers of southern India. The leaves are cut for fodder, and the tree is planted for shade in coffee and in cardamom plantations.
In Ayurveda the bark and the leaf are used for skin complaints and for diarrhoea, and the flower is used as a tonic. The tree is also planted as an ornamental for the fragrant flowers, and it is used in reforestation and in soil conservation on degraded land. The wood is also used for tool handles and for furniture frames, since it takes a screw without splitting.
Growing from Seed
Seed needs hot water treatment: soak it overnight in boiled water, then sow at 25 to 30 degrees. Germination is in one to three weeks, and the seedling is fast, reaching a metre in the first year.
The tree wants full sun and a deep, well-drained soil, and it tolerates drought once established. It is tender below about minus two. Plant it where it has room, since the crown is broad, and protect it from browsing for the first two years. It coppices well, which is why it is used in farm forestry. A mulch of leaf mould around the young tree keeps the roots cool and reduces watering in the first dry season.
Our Take
One of the best timber trees of southern India, fast enough for farm forestry and fragrant enough for a garden.
Related Reading
If Ceylon Rosewood appeals to you, these related plants are worth a look: