INDIAN CORAL TREE
Family – Leguminosae
Scientific name –
Erythrina indica or variegate
Common names –
1) Indian coral tree in English.
2) Mandara in Hindi.
3) Pangara in Marathi.
4) Dadap in Bengali.
5) Mandaram in Malayalam.
6) Kaliyana Murrukku in Tamil.
Growing areas –
1) This Indian tree is common in coastal
forests.
2) Also lives wild in Burma, the Andaman, Java
and Polynesia.
3) It grows well close to the sea.
General information –
1) It is fast growing, hardy, deciduous tree.
2) These trees have medium height with smooth
grey-green bark which peels in patches.
3) The trunk and branches of the these trees
are covered with sharp thorns.
4) They are obviously there to protect the
young birds and animals.
5) The roots of the tree are shallow.
6) The wood is brittle and easily broken.
Leaves, flowers, fruit and uses of the Indian
Coral Tree:
Leaves of the Indian Coral Tree –
1) The leaves are made up of three larger
leaflets, the middle leaflet is largest.
2) They are bright green in colour.
3) The leaves fall in in the winter, leaving
the tree leaflets until March or April.
4) Young trees often keep their leaves throughout
the year.
Flowers of the Indian Coral Tree –
1) The flowers of these trees appear from
early January and often continue up to March or April.
2) The bright scarlet flowers grow on spikes
either alone or with others at the end of the smaller branches.
3) Each spike has many blooms on it.
4) The flowers have five petals, one of which
is much larger than the others.
5) The tree is very beautiful in the spring
when it flowers.
Fruit of the Indian Coral Tree –
1) They ripen from May to July.
2) The seed cases clearly mark the
kidney-shaped brown, red, or purple seeds inside them.
3) The seed pods remain on the tree throughout
the year, quickly turning black.
Uses of the Indian Coral
Tree –
1) The soft wood is used for making small
boats and carving ornaments.
2) The new leaves are made into curries.
3) A red dye is obtained by boiling the
petals.
4) The tree is often used to provide shade for
crops or for supporting grape creepers and pepper plants.
5) It is popular in coastal cities for growing
on the sides of roads.
6) It is also grown as a hedge around gardens.
7) The planting of these trees help to nourish
poor soil as the roots contain Bacteria which can take in nitrogen from the
air.
8) The nitrogen is then used to enrich the
soil.
9) The leaves are useful for feeding cattle.
10) The seeds are poisonous.
11) The Coral tree is mentioned in the
Mahabharata.
