Family: Fabaceae
Common name: Ashoka tree, Sita Ashok, Sorrowless tree, Ashok briksh, Ashokam, Hemapushpam
Ashoka tree is a beautiful, evergreen, tropical tree with immense mythological and religious significance in India and other Southeast Asian countries. These trees can be seen in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.
Tree Characteristics
Ashoka trees mostly grow to a height of 10-15 meters with a thick, stout bark that is relatively smooth. The trunk is brownish-grey in color and well-branched, giving the tree a rounded canopy.
Leaves of the Ashoka tree are compound, with each leaf having 5-9 leaflets that are 30-50 cm long. Leaves are dark green and glossy with a leathery texture and wavy margins. Young leaves are copper-red in color and droop down like tassels, before they turn green on maturity.
Flowers are the most attractive feature of the Ashoka tree – bright orange-red flowers that bloom in large clusters during spring and summer. The flowers could be dark yellow when they are young, gradually turning a deep orange-red color in a few days.
Ashoka flowers are lightly fragrant, attracting birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in plenty. They are produced in large clusters of long, tubular flowers that have four petals and 6-8 prominent stamens that project outwards, giving the flower a fussy appearance.
Since the flowers change color over time, a single cluster will have flower colors ranging from pale yellow to orange to red to deep red. Each cluster can have up to 50 flowers arranged very close to each other.
Flowering season is from March to May and the flowers remain on the tree for over a month, creating an attractive display in home gardens and parks where these trees are planted as ornamentals.
Fruits of the Ashoka tree are long pods, typical of the Fabaceae family of Green peas and Beans. And also other trees like Delonix regia or Gulmohar, and Caesalpinia pulcherrima or Peacock flower tree. The fruit pods are 12-15 cm long, long and flat, containing 2-4 seeds, that are dark in color.
Gardening Tips
Ashoka trees are typical tropical, evergreen trees that need good sunlight, humidity, and rainfall. They are excellent for open spaces like parks, roadsides, or home gardens where they can get good sunlight.
These trees need well-drained soil that is slightly acidic, but they can tolerate a range of soil conditions. Water the trees when they are small and also during harsh summers. At other times, their long tap roots can absorb soil from deep down, helping the tree fend for itself.
Pruning can be done to keep the tree short and bushy, especially when they do not get enough sunlight and the tree shoots up in search of the sun.
Fertilize during spring and summer when the tree is growing and flowering actively. During winters, most trees go dormant and do not need much watering or fertilization.
Ashoka trees are resistant to pests and diseases, but they can occasionally suffer from leaf spot diseases or aphid infestations. Regular inspection of the leaves can help catch and resolve these problems quickly.
These trees are sometimes confused with Monoon longifolium or Mast tree, which is called as False Ashoka tree. The leaves are slightly similar, but their growing habit is completely different.
Ashoka trees spread horizontally after 7-8 meters, whereas False Ashoka trees tend to grow tall and straight like masts. Ashoka trees have bright orange flowers, whereas False Ashoka or Mast trees have pale green flowers.
Uses of Ashoka Tree
Ashoka trees are grown in home gardens, parks, or landscaped areas as ornamental trees, loved for their beautiful dark green foliage and stunning orange-red flowers that bloom in abundance.
They have many medicinal uses in Ayurveda and traditional herbal medicine. Parts of the tree like the bark, leaves, flowers, and seeds are used in treating cuts, wounds, inflammations, skin diseases, uterine and ovarian diseases, hemorrhoids, bleeding, urinary tract infections, menstrual disorders, and pregnancy-related ailments.
Ashoka trees have much ecological significance since they support a vibrant ecosystem of insects, small birds, and animals that feast on the nectar, young leaves, flowers, and fruits of the tree, in addition to giving ample nesting spaces.
In ancient India, the Ashoka trees were regarded as a symbol of love and happiness, often planted near temples and homes to bring peace and prosperity. But now, with rampant urbanization, these trees are disappearing from our landscape.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings.
Seeds collected from mature seedpods should be soaked in water before sowing in moist, well-drained soil to improve rate of germination. Propagation from seeds is relatively slower and the seeds could take over a month to germinate.
Healthy stem cuttings that are 15-20 cm long can root quicker in moist soil, establishing roots and growing quickly.
Photographed at: Kings Flora Organic Farm Resort, Wayanad
