Kusum / Kosam

Schleichera oleosa

Large deciduous tree, smooth grey or pale brown bark, leaves feather compound, 3 pairs of leaflets without stalk, the last pair largest. Flower inconspicuous tiny, yellow in dense cluster, fruit roundish, slightly elongated with a pointed tip. Looks very beautiful in Feb in new reddish leaves.

Bark: Smooth, greyish or pale brown

Leaf: Feather compound, three pairs of leaflets, almost without stalk, lowest pair smallest, terminal pair largest 

Flower: inconspicuous tiny, yellow in dense cluster

Fruit: roundish, slightly elongated with a pointed tip

Season: Leafless for a few weeks in winter, new leaves appear in mid Feb to early Mar making it a most beautiful tree for a few weeks in different shades of red. Soon the leaves turn dark green. Flower appears alongside the new leaves and fruit matures during rainy season.

Range/habitat: From low hills (< 1000 m) of Himalayas to Sri Lanka, almost throughout India, particularly common in deciduous forests of central and south India. Usually scattered in the forest and not gregarious. Not native of Kolkata or lower Gangetic Plain but are planted occasionally.

Trivia and notes: One of the main hosts for lac insect and said to produce the finest quality of shellac (a grade of lac). An oil is extracted from the seed that has many usages, from soap making to various medicinal. Along with Mahua, Kusum is a most important tree for the subsistence tribal economy.

Where to find: Two trees in Lake in the fenced garden just outside the entrance of Safari Park GPS: 22.51327N,88.35983E