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Fabaceae
Flame of the Forest
Butea monosperma
Sacred fire and renewal.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Butea
- Native to
- India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand
- Bloom season
- Winter, Spring
- Type
- tree
- Height
- 30-50 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, poor, sandy or rocky soils
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 10-12
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The orange-red flowers bloom when the tree is entirely leafless, creating the illusion of the entire tree being on fire — hence 'flame of the forest.'
- It is the state flower of Jharkhand and Uttarakhand in India, and plays a central role in the Hindu festival of Holi, when its flowers are used to make natural dyes.
- A sticky resin called 'Bengal kino' oozes from the bark and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat skin diseases and diarrhea.
- The tree is sacred in Hindu tradition and is associated with Agni, the god of fire; it is planted near temples throughout South Asia.
- Its nitrogen-fixing roots and tolerance of drought, poor soil, and waterlogging make it an important reforestation species in degraded tropical landscapes.
Color meanings
0
purification
1
passion
2
the sacred