Family: Rubiaceae
Common name: Indian Boxwood, Ceylon Boxwood, Broadleaf Gardenia, Papda, Papra, Kambi, Kalkambi, Kumpai
Indian Boxwood is a small deciduous tree with a well-rounded beautiful crown and fragrant yellow flowers. They are very commonly found in forests and are cultivated in gardens, as well as landscaped areas. These trees grow well in tropical weather.
Plant characteristics
These trees can grow to a height of 5-7 meters with an upright, heavily branched woody trunk. The stem is grayish-brown in color and well-rounded with some branches bending down to almost touch the soil.
This particular growth habit makes the tree a very attractive option for gardens and landscaped areas where they spread to form a well-rounded, beautiful crown of foliage.
Leaves of Indian boxwood are broad, roughly oval in shape, dark green, and glossy about 15-20 cm long. The thick, leathery texture and smooth margins make them sturdy enough to resist drought.
Flowers are fragrant, tubular, pale yellow in color with 5-9 distinct petals. Flowers are pale yellow in color initially turning deeper yellow as they mature. They have a sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators to the flowers all through spring and summer when the Indian boxwood trees bloom in plenty.
Fruits are smooth and rounded, shaped like a pomegranate or guava with the sepals distinctly visible on one end. They are green in color initially, ripening to a deep yellow and orange color, eventually drying into a hard, woody capsule.
Gardening Tips
Indian boxwood trees need bright sunlight for most part of the day. They are drought-tolerant and do not need regular watering. Before planting, ensure that the plant has enough space around it to grow and spread well.
Fertilize and prune the plant when it’s small, to help the tree grow and flower well. Once the tree is established in the soil, it can be pretty much left alone to flower and fruit in season, adding beauty and majesty to your garden.
Uses of Indian boxwood
Traditionally, parts of this tree has been used to treat fever, colic, cuts, wounds, snake bites, skin diseases, diabetes, and respiratory disorders. Fruits of the tree are eaten by birds and squirrels, and the well-branched trunk makes a good nesting place for birds and small animals.
Indian boxwood trees are mostly grown as ornamentals or hedge plants in gardens and landscaped areas since they are low-maintenance. The dried fruits are used in potpourri.
These plants are attractive to insects and moths, especially nocturnal ones that are attracted to the heady fragrance of the flowers.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings.
Mature fruits can be dried in the sun, and split open to release the seeds. Dry seeds can be sowed in well-drained, moist soil where they germinate in 2-4 weeks. Stem cuttings taken from healthy plants can also root well in moist soil.
Photographed at: Nandi hills area, Bangalore
