Saraca asocaSaraca asocaSaraca asocaSaraca asoca (Roxb.) W.J. de Wilde

UTTAR PUTTAR PUTTAR PUTTAR PRARARARADESHDESHDESHDESH

State TreeState TreeState TreeState Tree: Ashoka.

Botanical NameBotanical NameBotanical NameBotanical Name: SaracaSaracaSaracaSaraca asocaasocaasocaasoca (Roxb.) W.J. de Wilde

CommonCommonCommonCommon NamesNamesNamesNames: Oshok (Bengali); Ashoka (English); Ashoka, Asok (Hindi);

Anganapriya, Ashoka, Sita-Ashoka (Sanskrit); Asogam (Tamil).

FamilyFamilyFamilyFamily: Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae.

EtymologyEtymologyEtymologyEtymology: The generic epithet

‘SaracaSaracaSaracaSaraca’’’’ is derived from Sanskrit

word, ‘sara’ meaning coloured or

spotted and the specific epithet is

also derived from Sanskrit word,

‘asoca’ refers to sorrow less.

DescriptionDescriptionDescriptionDescription: Evergreen tree, 6 – 9 m

high. Leaves paripinnate; leaflets 6 –

12, oblong, 15 – 20 cm long.

Flowers in dense axillary corymbs of

7 – 10 cm across, very fragrant,

bright orange or orange-yellow.

Calyx tube orange-yellow. Petals

absent. Stamens exserted. Pods

oblong, beaked at apex, 10 – 25 × 4

– 5 cm, flat, leathery, coppery red,

turning black on maturity; seeds 4 – 8, ellipsoid-oblong, compressed.

Saraca asoca Saraca asoca Saraca asoca Saraca asoca (Roxb.) W.J. de Wilde – Flowering twig

FloweringFloweringFloweringFlowering: January – April; FruitingFruitingFruitingFruiting: March – September.

DistributionDistributionDistributionDistribution: It is native to India and Sri Lanka. In India, it occurs in the forests of south

and central Western Ghats, central and Eastern Himalayas, Khasi, Garo and Lushai hills,

and also grown in gardens. It is also distributed in Myanmar and Malaya.

Economic ImportanceEconomic ImportanceEconomic ImportanceEconomic Importance: Wood is used for making ploughs and shafts and also for house

building purposes. Pods are reported as very good forage for cattle. It is frequently

grown as an ornamental and avenue tree throughout India.

Traditional UsesTraditional UsesTraditional UsesTraditional Uses: Ashoka tree is one of

the most sacred trees of the Hindus and

Buddhists. Flowers are used during

religious ceremonies and in temple

decorations. In Assam, fruits are chewed

as a substitute for areca-nuts. In West

Bengal women eat the flower buds on

Ashok Shasthi day, and there is a belief

that by drinking the water soaked with

ashoka flowers will protect their children from worry and grief.

Medicinal UsesMedicinal UsesMedicinal UsesMedicinal Uses: Bark is reported to cure biliousness, dyspepsia, dysentery, colic, piles,

ulcers and pimples. Leaves possess blood purifying properties and their juice mixed

with cumin seeds is used for stomach-ache. Flowers are considered an excellent

uterine tonic. Drinking the water soaked overnight with asoka flowers in empty

stomach in the morning will reduce diabetes. It is also used in Ayurveda.

ConsConsConsConservationervationervationervation: It has become threatened in wild due to loss of habitat, and has been

categorised as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

PropagationPropagationPropagationPropagation: It can easily be propagated through seeds.

K.S. DograK.S. DograK.S. DograK.S. Dogra

Botanic Garden of Indian Republic, Botanical Survey of India, Noida.