Description
Tephrosia purpurea, Sharpunkha is also known as wild indigo or purple tephrosia is a perennial flowering plant that is erect or spreading, sometimes bushy.
Sharpunkha is a perennial erect herb which is up to 50 cm tall. The stem is woody, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical, slightly angular near the apex, the outer surface is green and glabrous. Tephrosia purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that has a pantropical distribution.
It is a common wasteland weed. In many parts, it is under cultivation as a green manure crop. Sharpunkha has the great medicinal important in Ayurveda. It is a well-known Ayurvedic herb maintain healthy hemoglobin levels in the body.
Plant Specifications
| Plant Height |
16 inch (41 cm) |
| Plant Spread |
5 inch (13 cm) |
*above specification are indicative only. actual dimensions may vary by +-10%
| Common Name |
Wild indigo, Fish poison |
| Maximum Reachable Height |
Up to 50 cm |
| Flower Colour |
Purple |
| Difficulty Level |
Easy |
Planting and care
After a good rain, find a spot that is the first to dry out.Water trapped beneath the scales may rot the bulb, so a well-drained site is essential.Also, select a site that gets full sun.For dependable blooms, plants need six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. Sharpunkha care
The plant is propagated by seed. Its care consists of regular watering while the tree is young and annual fertilization until it matures. Water young trees weekly in the absence of rain, applying the water slowly to saturate the soil as deeply as possible.
| Sunlight |
Full sun |
| Watering |
Medium |
| Soil |
Well-drained soil |
| Temperature |
25 to 29 degree Celsius |
| Fertilizer |
Apply organic fertilizers |
Sharpunkha special feature
Tephrosia purpurea is also used traditionally as folk medicine.
Sharpunkha uses
Medicinal Use:
- Sharpunkha has the great medicinal important in Ayurveda
- It is a well-known Ayurvedic herb, used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly
