Terminalia Chebula, Harad, Hirada - 0.5 kg Seeds

Terminalia chebula (Terminalia chebula), known as harad, hirada or chebulic myrobalan, is a medium to large deciduous tree reaching 15-25 m with a rounded crown and ovate to elliptic leaves. It bears small, dull-white, strong-smelling flowers in spikes, followed by hard, ribbed, ovoid fruits that turn yellowish to black on ripening. Native to India, it is found in the deciduous forests of the sub-Himalayan tract, central India and the Deccan up to about 1,500 m.

It is one of the most prized medicinal trees in India, the dried fruit being the chief ingredient of the Ayurvedic triphala and a major source of tannins for tanning and dyeing. The hard, durable heartwood is used for furniture, agricultural implements and construction, and the tree is also valued for afforestation, fuelwood and shade.

• Family: Combretaceae
• Native region: Indian subcontinent
• Mature height: 15-25 m
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate

Sowing the seed: the very hard, stony fruit is strongly dormant, so soak it in water for 48-72 hours, or carefully crack the woody endocarp, before sowing to break dormancy. Sow about 3-5 cm deep in well-drained nursery beds or deep polybags and keep moist; germination is slow and erratic, usually taking 30 days or more, sometimes longer. Grow the seedlings on for a season and transplant when 30-50 cm tall at the onset of the monsoon.