Albizzia odoratissma

Botanical Name – Albizia odoratissima

Common Name – Shirish (Sanskrit), Kala Shirish, Basa, Bersa, Chichwa, Erma (Hindi), Kaadu bage (Kannada), Kalo Shirish (Gujrati)

Distribution – Gujrat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

Habit

• Medium sized deciduous tree
• Fast-growing
  
  

Habitat

• Mixed dry deciduous forest
  
  

Specific properties

• Preferred for soil reclamation, land restoration
• Decreases soil erosion with its well-developed root system
• Drought tolerant tree
• Susceptible to fire
• Nitrogen-fixing tree, preferred for agroforestry
  
  

Ecology

• Attracts birds, bats, and bees
• Monkeys feed on its pods
• Fixes atmospheric nitrogen through symbiotic relationship with root bacteria
• Larval host plant of Common Acacia Blue (Surendra quercetorum) and Common Lascar (Pantoporia hordonia) butterflies
  
  

Uses

• Leaves and twigs are sought as good source of fodder for liverstock
• Important tree for shade and soil improvement in tea/coffee plantations
• Source of green manure
• Usually planted for wind break on farm bunds
• Bark and leaves are high in tannins and find use in folk medicine
• The timber is used for cart making, house-building, farming implements and furniture
  
  

Propagation

• Seeds
• Stump cuttings