Senegalia Catechu, Khair - 0.5 kg Seeds

Khair or Catechu (Senegalia catechu, syn. Acacia catechu) is a moderate-sized, thorny deciduous tree of the pea family, with rough dark bark, fine feathery foliage and slender spikes of pale-yellow flowers. As a legume it fixes nitrogen and improves the soil it grows in.

Native to the dry deciduous forests and scrub of northern and central India, it is the source of katha and cutch extracted from its dark heartwood, used in paan, as a tannin and natural dye and in medicine; the hard, durable wood is also valued for fuel, charcoal, posts and farm implements. It is a key species for afforesting dry, degraded and eroded land.

• Family: Fabaceae
• Native region: dry tracts of the Indian subcontinent
• Mature height: 9-15 m
• Growth rate: moderate to fast

The hard seed coat needs softening: pour hot water over the seeds and soak for 12-24 hours as it cools, or scarify them, until they swell. Sow about 1-2 cm deep in polybags of sandy soil kept warm; germination is fairly quick, usually 7-14 days. Transplant the seedlings while young, as they develop a deep taproot and dislike disturbance.