MAHUA TREE

Mahua tree is a tropical tree of our India, which usually grows in the plains and forests. The scientific name of this tree is “Madhuka Long folia”. This tree is very famous for its fruits and flowers, which can be used in many ways.

English Name: Mahuwa, Iluppai

Hindi Name: Mahua

Scientific Name: Madhuca longifolia

Family: Sapotaceae

Introduction of Mahua

It is an evergreen tree, which belongs to the Sapotaceae family of plants. In warm areas, this tree is grown for its seeds, flowers and wood. Indigenous communities use tree bark as medicine, fruit as food, and of course flowers as drugs. In many places its raw fruits are used as vegetables. A tree of Mahua tree can produce seeds of about 20 to 200 kg a year depending on its age.

Mahua Tree

This tree can be found in almost all areas of India and not only this, it is a tree which is also found on the mountains up to a height of about 3000 feet. Even in soil pockets amidst the cracks of barren rock, the Mahua plant thrives well on rocky, grave, saline and sodic soils. This tree is tall and canopy and its branches are spread all around.

Mahua is a medium-sized deciduous tree, which grows to a height of 16m to 20 m. It is one of the fastest growing trees. It has a short, thick trunk, which is about 80 cm in diameter. The bark is gray, steeply cracked and wrinkled, which leaves thin scales. Almost all its parts such as its flowers, fruits, seeds, wood etc. are very useful.

Leaves

The leaves alternate and cluster at the end of the branches. Its leaf is about 10-25 cm long and 6-12 cm wide, rectangular in shape, hard, thick and firm. Its lower part is like wool and after breaking it produces milky juice. The young leaves are pink or reddish-brown.

The leaves of Mahua fall during the fall of Phagun Chait. After leaves fall, clusters of buds start appearing on the branches. Generally, the leaves of mahua remain green throughout the year.

Mahua flowers

Mahua flowers are small and fleshy, dull or light white in color and define the fascicles near the end of the flower branches. The corolla is tubular, pale yellow fragrant and caduceous. Flowering normally begins in March – April. First the buds come out and then when they grow slowly it becomes a shell shaped white flower which is open on both the sides and there are cumin inside it. This white flower is called “Mahua” and it is also used in food use. This flower is very useful food for tribals. They use this flower to make intoxicants.

In addition, flowers are traditionally used for the treatment of cooling agents, tonics, aphrodisiacs and astringents, democrats and helminths, acute and chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis as well as bronchitis. Its flower is also used to make jam, which is prepared by tribals living in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.

Mahua flowers contain a good amount of vitamin-C which is responsible for its antioxidant activity. In addition, the Mahua flower contains carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin-A. Its flowers also contain a good amount of minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Not only this, some amount of protein and fat are also present in Mahua flowers.

The fruit

The fruit of mahua is of the shape of a parwal, which is called “Kalendi”. Its vegetable is made by peeling its fruit and then boiling it. When its fruits ripen, its pulp feels sweet to eat.

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Life span

Generally, after planting this Mahua tree, fruits come in it and it gives fruit as long as it survives. The average lifespan of this tree is around 45 to 50 years. But if it is looked after properly then it can live for about 55 to 60 years.

Seed and oil

A type of oil is obtained from this Mahue, which is usually extracted from its seeds. To obtain this oil, its seeds are broken from the tree and its flesh peels are removed. After it is soaked, its hard peel is removed, and it is dried well and after that oil is obtained by putting it in the machine.

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Where does it grow?

The tree grows on a wide variety of soils, but thrives best on sandy soils. It also grows on shallow, boulder, clayey and calacir soils. This tree grows well in a place where the annual rainfall is between 500 mm to 1500 mm and where the temperature is between 2–46 ° C.

Uses and Benefits

The wood of this Mahua tree is used to make furniture and doors and windows.

Its leaves are used as animal food like goat and sheep, etc.

Its seeds are used to make soap or oil.

This mahua oil is also used as a natural oil to make food or to be applied in the body to get rid of physical problems.

After the oil is extracted from its seeds, the remaining skins can be used as manure or for feeding animals.

Disadvantages of mahua

Studies on animals have shown that regular mahua use may increase impotence and infertility.
The nature of mahua is hypoglycemic (low blood sugar), so it can affect the effect of the drugs consumed in diabetes. If you are taking any such medicine or you have low blood sugar level then it is better that you talk to the doctor before taking mahua.
If you are suffering from autoimmune disease (in which the immune system starts damaging healthy cells of the skin), do not consume Mahua.