Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.
Vernacular name: Indian tree of heaven, Aralu (Hindi: अरलू)
Species Name: Ailanthus excelsa Roxb.
Family: Simaroubaceae
Habit: Large deciduous tree
Stem: Straight cylindrical trunk 18-25 m tall, light grey smooth bark turning rough grey-brown.
Leaf: Imparipinnate compound, 30-90 cm long, 11-21 leaflets lanceolate 7-15 cm.
Flowering: April–June
Flowers: Large terminal panicles 30-40 cm long (thyrsoid paniculate inflorescence – compound panicle with dichasial cymes); greenish-white, small, malodorous.
Fruit: Samara winged 5 cm long, red when ripe, single seed.
Uses:
- The leaves and bitter bark is employed in folk medicine as a tonic and cure for fever, bronchitis and dyspepsia.
- Bark used in India as a powerful fever-cure and tonic. Leaves and bark in good repute used as a tonic after labour, and the juice of the leaves and fresh bark employed by the Konkans as a remedy for after-pains.
- The wood is soft and light and is used mainly for packing cases, toys, fishing floats and for carving.
