Arjun

Terminalia arjuna

Bengali/Hindi/English same name

A very large deciduous tree, broad oval crown, usually buttressed trunk, smooth pinkish grey or whitish bark that peels off in thin flakes. Leaves long oval oppositely arranged.

Bark: smooth, pinkish grey or whitish that peels off in thin flakes

Leaf: long, oval, or slightly heart-shaped at base, almost stalkless, rounded or slightly pointed at tip

Flower: not prominent. Tiny creamy yellow, crowded in long spikes

Fruit: Ovoid just over an inch, with 5 longitudinal ridges

Season: Leaves fall in Mar new leaves from Mar to May flowers in Apr and May. Fruits ripe next year Feb-May

Range/habitat: Abundant in forests of central and southern India. They crowd close to the watercourse in the forest (even if the place is very rocky)

Trivia and notes: People believe that the bark of this tree is beneficial for heart. As a result, barks from trees are/used to be extracted at random. In response to the wound the trees secretes resin and tend to grow deformed. Many such trees can be found in city. Looks like of late the practice has come down.

Where to find: Quite a few mature trees are there in Rabindra sarovar. One prominent is just inside the C4 cricket ground.