Edible: Roots, Flowers, Gum, Leaves, Pods
A strongly branched tree. It has an irregular trunk. It becomes twisted with age. It grows 8 to 15 m high and spreads to 3-5 m wide. The cut bark yields a red gum. The leaves are leathery but with a silky back. They consist of 3 diamond shaped leaflets. These are 10-20 cm long by 4-20 cm wide and on stalks almost as long. The flowers are on equal length stalks around a common axis. These are 15 cm long and have rich red flowers with silver hairs. The flowers are 3-4 cm long. The flower stalks appear along the bare branches. The fruit is oblong and 10-20 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. They are flat, thin pods with silvery hairs. The seed are produced towards the top end of the pod. The seeds are 3.5 cm long by 2.5 cm wide and very flattened.
A tropical plant. It is native to India, Burma and Sri Lanka. They are frost tender. It grows in the Himalayas up to 1,220 m altitude. It can grow on gravels or plains soils. It needs a well-drained soil. It needs full sun. It can tolerate some soil salinity. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Flame of the Forest, Bastard Tree, Bengal kino, Chan mot hot, Char, Charr, Chhar, Dangs, Dhak, Gienggieng, Khakhar, Moduga, Morud, Mutthuga, Muttuga, Palas in samatha, Palas, Palasa, Palash, Palasha, Parasa, Parsa, Plah, Ploso, Pohon api-api hutan, Pohon palasa, Polash, Thawng-kwaao, Thong-gwao
Synonyms:
Butea frondosa Koenig ex Roxb.;
Erythrina monosperma Lamk.;
Plaso monosperma Kuntze;