Dalbergia Latifolia, Rosewood - 0.5 kg Seeds

Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia), also called blackwood or sheesham, is a large deciduous hardwood tree with a rounded crown, compound leaves and small white-to-pale flowers borne in panicles, followed by flat papery pods. It is a slow- to moderate-growing nitrogen-fixing legume tree.

The species is prized for one of India's finest timbers: a dark, dense, beautifully figured heartwood used for premium furniture, cabinetry, decorative veneers and musical instruments. It is also valued in agroforestry and as a shade tree. In India it occurs naturally in the deciduous forests of the Western Ghats, central and peninsular regions, and is raised in plantations for its high-value wood.

• Family: Fabaceae
• Native region: Peninsular and central India
• Mature height: 20–40 m
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate

Extract the seeds from the dry pods and soak them in water for 24 hours before sowing. Sow about 1–2 cm deep in nursery beds or polybags of well-drained soil; germination usually takes 14–21 days in warm, moist conditions at the start of the rains. Maintain light shade for young seedlings and transplant them to the field once they are well rooted and hardened.