Melia Composita, Melia Dubia - 0.5 kg Seeds

Melia dubia, Melia dubia (often sold as Melia composita), is a fast-growing deciduous timber tree of the mahogany family that has become one of India's leading agroforestry and plywood species. It develops a tall, straight, cylindrical bole with a light feathery crown and can put on remarkable height in its first few years, which is why farmers across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra raise it on bunds and in block plantations. The soft, even-grained wood is prized for plywood, packing cases, matchwood and pulp, and it doubles as quick fuelwood.

• Family: Meliaceae
• Native region: India and South-East Asia
• Mature height: 15–20 m
• Growth rate: Very fast

The seed is enclosed in a hard, bony stone that slows germination. De-pulp the fruit, soak the stones in water for 2–3 days (changing the water daily), then sow them in raised nursery beds or trays about 1–2 cm deep in sandy loam. Germination is erratic and may take a month or more, so keep beds consistently moist and shaded; prick out the seedlings into bags once they are 8–10 cm tall and field-plant vigorous saplings with the monsoon.