Sisso / Sisham/ Indian Rosewood

Dalbergia sisso

Beng: Shishu Hindi: Shisham

Summary: A large deciduous native tree with slender drooping branches, feather compound leaves having 3-5 alternatively arranged small roundish leaflets on a zig-zag rachis with a pointed tip including a terminal one

Leaves: 3-5 Leaflets, leaflets are 1-3’’ roundish, long pointed tip, has terminal leaf. The common leaf stalk is zig-zag

Bark: Dark Brown, rough with vertical furrows

Flower: Small, yellowish white in small clusters. Not conspicuous but fragrant. Bees love them.

Fruit: Flat thin pod that contains 1-3 seeds whose outline visible from outside, remains green for a long time, and finally turns brown

Seasons: The leaves fall in the cold season and are replaced in late January and February by new foliage, which is closely followed by the flowers. The pods ripen from November to January

Range/Habitat: Native to Himalayan foothills and terai. Planted all over India. In its native habitat usually found growing on the banks of streams, often on freshly created silt deposition.

Trivia & Comments: One of the finest native timber tree of India.