Sterculia Urens, Indian Gum - 0.5 kg Seeds

Sterculia urens, the karaya or Indian gum tree (Sterculia urens), is a striking deciduous tree of dry hill forests, easily recognised by its smooth, peeling, whitish-pink papery bark. It is best known as the source of gum karaya (Indian tragacanth), an important commercial gum tapped from the trunk and used in food, pharmaceuticals and textiles.

Gum karaya tapping provides significant income to tribal communities, making this a valuable agroforestry and non-timber-forest-product tree; the light wood is used locally for small items. It is highly drought tolerant and grows on dry, rocky hill slopes and degraded land across central and peninsular India, including the Deccan, Eastern Ghats and Vindhyas.

• Family: Malvaceae (formerly Sterculiaceae)
• Native region: dry tropical forests of the Indian subcontinent
• Mature height: 9–15 m
• Growth rate: slow to moderate

Sowing the seed: soak the seeds in water for about 24 hours, then sow 2 cm deep in nursery bags of sandy, well-drained soil. Germination takes around 21–30 days. The seedlings are hardy and drought adapted; transplant them onto dry, rocky sites with the first good rains once they are well rooted.