Description
Catechu is an herb. The leaves, shoots, and wood are used to make medicine. It grows throughout India from the Himalayas to the South of India.
It is the moderate sized deciduous tree. It has rough bark which is dark gray-brown in color. It grows up to a height of 15 mete The leaves are 8 -10 cm long. It has short curved stipular spines and rough grayish brown bark. The flowers are pale yellow in color.
They start appearing khair-tree in the month of June -August. Fruits ripen in January to March and remain in the tree for long. The young parts are dark brown to purple in color. The tree has a rough texture from outside.Plant Specifications
| Plant Height | 22 inch (56 cm) |
| Plant Spread | 6 inch (15 cm) |
| Common Name | Cutch Tree, Black Catechu, Black Cutch, Cashoo, Catechu, Wadalee gum |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 15-20 mete |
| Flower Colour | White or Pale Yellow |
| Bloom Time | June-August |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Khair care
It is mainly propagated through the seeds. The seeds are mostly shown in the month of June. It is planted on sandy soil. The seeds germinate in the monsoons. Khair should be sown on mounds at least 61 to 76 cm in height so that the seedlings do not remain submerged in water for a long period.
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | Moderately |
| Soil | Well drained and fertile sandy soil. |
| Temperature | 25-35 degrees C |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer every year during spring. |
Khair special feature
The Khair tree signifies endurance and strength and it is a tree of Mrigashira Nakshatra.
Khair uses
Ornamental Use:
- Best for avenue planting
Medicinal Use:
- The different parts of the tree have a variety of medicinal uses
- Khair tree is very useful in dental problems
- It gives relief in dry cough
- It is also given in stomatis, Anaemia, Leprosy, Bronchitis, Pruritus, Diarrhoea, Polyuria
- Its wood contains catechin, catechutanic acid and tannin
- It is used externally for ulcers, boils and eruption of the skin
- The juice of the fresh bark is given in haemoptysis
- It is used to treat painful throat and cough
Culinary Use:
- Kattha (catechu), an extract of its heartwood, is used as an ingredient to give red color and typical flavor to paan