Family: Malvaceae
Common name: Guest tree, Bataria teak., Bhola, Timanga tree
Guest tree is a tropical tree grown as an ornamental for its round, heart-shaped foliage, and small pink flowers. These trees are commonly seen in the wild and also in landscaped areas in tropical weather, mostly in Southeast Asian countries.
Tree characteristics
Guest trees can grow to a height of 8-12 meters, or even up to 20 meters with a dense, bushy crown. The stem is woody, well-branched, brown in color, and mostly smooth in texture. They are fast-growing, reaching maturity in 3-4 years.
Leaves of the Guest tree are roughly heart-shaped with a pointy tip. The veins are prominent and sunken, giving the leaves a puckered appearance. Leaves are 10-15 cm long, and about as wide at the base. They have a smooth texture and smooth margins.
The flowers of the Guest tree are very pretty, small, and pink, about 6-8 mm in diameter, borne in clusters at the tip of the stem. They have 5 distinct pink petals and 5 sepals, projections from the small green cup-like structure that holds the flower.
Though each flower is small and unnoticeable, the large clusters extending from the foliage make them look very pretty, while attracting pollinators in plenty during the flowering season.
Guest trees usually flower during summer and spring, the entire tree covered with pink flowers that later produce small capsule-like fruits. These fruits are 2-3 cm in diameter and 5-lobed, each lobe containing small, rounded, warty seeds.
Gardening tips
Guest trees are very sturdy and low-maintenance, making them an excellent choice for home gardens, parks, landscaped areas, and even roadsides. They love warm, sunny weather, flourishing in tropical environments.
Though they can tolerate a variety of soil conditions, these trees need rich, well-drained soil when they are young. Watering is needed only during peak summer months and when the plant is small. Pruning can be done to keep the tree short, bushy, and compact.
Guest trees do not need regular fertilization or pesticide treatments, growing, and flowering without any care and maintenance. This is one of the reasons they are grown as avenue trees, where they can be planted, cared for a few short months, and then forgotten.
Uses of Guest trees
In addition to being an excellent ornamental tree, Guest trees have many medicinal and commercial uses. The bark of the tree has a slight pink tint, and is quite strong, used for creating poles and rafters in building construction.
Leaves and other parts of the tree are used in the treatment of lice, scabies, headache, skin diseases, eye ailments, cough, tuberculosis, and pneumonia in traditional herbal medicine. Fiber obtained from the bark is very strong, used for making ropes, and also to reinforce concrete.
The spreading roots of the Guest tree help in conserving topsoil, preventing it from washing away in the rains. The tree provides food and shelter for pollinating insects, birds, and small animals, supporting a small thriving ecosystem in itself.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds, stem cuttings, grafting, and layering.
Mature seeds collected from the parent plant can be soaked for a day and planted in well-drained soil to germinate. Stem cuttings can also take root very quickly. In addition, grafting and layering are good methods of propagation.
Photographed at: Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah
