Terminalia Tomentosa, Asan - 0.5 kg Seeds

Terminalia elliptica (Terminalia elliptica, syn. Terminalia tomentosa), known as asan, saj or Indian laurel, is a large deciduous tree growing 25-30 m with a tall, straight bole and deeply cracked, dark, crocodile-skin bark. It has large, leathery, elliptic leaves that are velvety beneath, small dull-yellow flowers and winged, reddish fruits. Native to India, it is a dominant timber tree of the dry and moist deciduous forests across central, eastern and peninsular India.

It is an important timber tree, the hard, heavy, dark-brown heartwood being used for construction, furniture, beams, flooring, cart and agricultural work. The tree is a major host for the tasar silkworm, is valued as fuelwood and for tannins from the bark, and is planted for afforestation, shade and soil conservation in dry tracts.

• Family: Combretaceae
• Native region: Indian subcontinent
• Mature height: 25-30 m
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate

Sowing the seed: the woody, winged fruits have a hard coat, so soak them in water for 24-48 hours before sowing to improve and even out germination. Sow about 2-3 cm deep in well-drained nursery beds or polybags filled with sandy loam and keep moist; germination is irregular, typically taking 21-30 days. Raise the seedlings for a season and transplant when 30-50 cm tall at the start of the monsoon.