Thespesia Populnea, Portia Tree - 0.5 kg Seeds

Thespesia populnea (Thespesia populnea), the portia tree, Indian tulip tree or paras pipal, is a small to medium evergreen tree growing 6-15 m with a dense, spreading crown of glossy, heart-shaped leaves. It bears showy, cup-shaped flowers that open pale yellow with a maroon centre and age to purplish-pink, followed by flattened, woody seed capsules. Native to tropical coasts including those of India, it is common along the seashore, backwaters and tidal areas and is widely planted in coastal towns.

It is grown mainly as a salt-tolerant avenue, shade and ornamental tree for coastal and urban planting, and is valued for coastal shelterbelts and erosion control. The close-grained, dark reddish wood is used for furniture, boat building, gunstocks and turnery, while the bark yields fibre and the flowers, fruit and bark are used in traditional medicine.

• Family: Malvaceae
• Native region: Tropical coasts including India
• Mature height: 6-15 m
• Growth rate: Moderate

Sowing the seed: the seeds have a moderately hard coat, so soak them in water for 24 hours, or lightly scarify them, before sowing to aid germination. Sow about 1-2 cm deep in well-drained sandy nursery mix in polybags and keep warm and moist; germination usually takes 14-21 days. Transplant the seedlings to the field when 25-40 cm tall, ideally at the onset of the monsoon, and they establish well in coastal and saline conditions.