Family: Leguminosae

Known for their brightly coloured flowers, this genus comprises 11 species of trees from Southeast Asia. Grown as ornamentals in tropical and subtropical regions, one of the species is thought to be the tree under which Buddha was born. The flowers are used in temple offerings, and some species were formerly used in local medicines.

Species

S. indica (Synonym: S. asoca), the Asoka or sorrowless tree, grows 8-10 m (26-33 ft) tall. The branchlets are pendulous, with the young foliage being quite limp. The compound leaves are made up of three to six pairs of long, tapering leaflets. The flowers make a spectacular show, opening orange-yellow and then deepening to a rich red as they age. Their fragrance is evident only at night. The pods containing the seeds develop after the flowers have faded.

S. thaipingensis also grows 8-10 m (26-33 ft) in height. The leaflets are broader than those of S. indica and the massed flower heads are yellow.

Cultivation

In climates which are prone to frost, saracas are occasionally grown as pot plants in warm greenhouses or conservatories. They should be grown in well-drained, soil-based potting compost. Shade the plants from direct sun. Water well during the growing season, but keep them drier at other times. Outdoors these trees require the shade and protection of taller trees, and moist yet well-drained soil. Trees are propagated from seed, but tend to be slow growing in their early years.

Climate

Warmest parts of zone 10 to tropical.