Dalbergia odorifera Seeds | Fragrant Rosewood
LATIN NAME: Dalbergia odorifera
COMMON NAME: Fragrant Rosewood
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Fragrant Rosewood (Dalbergia odorifera) stands out as a deciduous tree. It steadily establishes a rounded crown, eventually 5-10 metres tall. Give it full sun and deep, fertile ground. All of this makes Fragrant Rosewood a satisfying plant to grow and to get to know.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Dalbergia odorifera ranges from the botany of the Dalbergia group to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Fragrant rosewood has a real and distinguished place in the research. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Fragrant Rosewood has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Ecologically, fragrant rosewood is a generous tree of the garden. Its fine, airy foliage gives a light, dappled shade, and its small, pea-like flowers feed bees and insects, while its flat, papery pods carry seed of future tree. Because wild tree has been under pressure, it is best grown with care, and conservation of fragrant rosewood has been of greatest importance. It establishes readily and then requires nothing out of the ordinary.
Rosewoods yield the world’s most coveted furniture timber and aromatic heartwood oils; in Chinese medicine the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera, Jiang Xiang, is a classical herb for blood stasis.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Fragrant Rosewood under ordinary good conditions. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray full sun. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
The traditional uses covered above are what first made this species worth cultivating. Within its genus it stands out for garden reliability. Even moisture while the seed is chitting is the main thing; afterwards it largely looks after itself.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Fragrant Rosewood: