“
Description for Alstonia Scholaris, Dita Tree, Saptaparni
Botanical name of this plant is Alstonia scholaris. Generic name came after botanist, Prof. C. Alston of Edinburgh. Species name scholaris refers to the fact that the timber of this tree has traditionally been used to make wooden slates for school children.
It has rough, grey bark and large leaves that grow in clusters of seven. The flowers are small and greenish-yellow in color. The fruits are thin pods that can grow up to 20 inches long. The sap of the tree is sticky and bitter.
| Common name | Flower colours | Bloom time | Height | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dita tree, devil tree. | The fragnant flowers are greenish white | Late autumn to Early winter | 100 feet. | Easy |
Planting and care
It has been extensively planted in India. Also seems to grow well in hot dry regions.
| Sunlight | Soil | Water | Temperature | Fertilizer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full sun. | Fertile, moist, but well-drained soil. | Keep the soil moist but not logged. | Annual temperature in the range 12 to 32 degrees C. | – |
Caring for Alstonia Scholaris
- It grows better under moist, warm climate but cannot stand water logging.
- Recommended for planting in parks, gardens and inside lawns. Suitable for avenue planting.
Typical uses of Alstonia Scholaris
Special features: In Ayurveda it is used as a bitter and as an astringent herb for treating skin disorders, malarial fever, urticaria, chronic dysentery, diarrhea, in snake bite and for upper purification process of Panchakarma .
Culinary use: The latex provides a good quality chewing gum. It is usually used in making packing boxes, blackboards etc.
Medicinal use:
References
- http://keys.trin.org.au/key-server/data/0e0f0504-0103-430d-8004-060d07080d04/media/Html/taxon/Alstonia_scholaris.htm
- http://entheology.com/plants/alstonia-scholaris-dita-tree/
- https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Scholar Tree.html
“
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.