Pterocarpus Marsupium, Vijayasar - 0.5 kg Seeds

Vijayasar or Indian Kino (Pterocarpus marsupium), also called Bijasal or Malabar Kino, is a large deciduous timber tree of India's dry and moist deciduous forests. It has a spreading crown, compound leaves and yellow flowers, and exudes a red astringent gum known as kino when the bark is cut. It is prized both as a source of strong, durable, ornamental timber used for furniture and construction, and as an important medicinal tree.

The heartwood is famous in Ayurveda for its anti-diabetic properties (water stored overnight in vijayasar wood tumblers is a traditional remedy), and the kino gum is used as an astringent. It grows naturally across central and peninsular India, including the Western Ghats, Madhya Pradesh and the Deccan, tolerating drought and poor soils once established.

• Family: Fabaceae (Faboideae)
• Native region: Central and peninsular India
• Mature height: 15-30 m
• Growth rate: Moderate

The seed is enclosed in a flat, circular winged pod (samara); soak the whole pods in water for 2-3 days, or extract the seed, to aid germination. Sow about 2 cm deep in well-drained nursery soil kept warm and moist; germination usually takes 2-3 weeks and can be uneven. Raise seedlings in deep bags and transplant at the onset of the monsoon.