Trees of Odisha: Krishnachuda (Gulmohor)
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Local Name - କୃଷ୍ଣଚୁଦା | ( krishnachuda)
In this article
Botanical Overview :
Scientific name: Delonix regia
Common name: Gulmohar, Royal Poinciana, Flamboyant, Flame Tree, Peacock Flower
Native to: Madagascar, but nowadays it's widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions globally (including India, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, etc.)
Height: It's a medium-sized, fast-growing tree that generally reaches about 10-12 meters.
Leaves: Leaves of Krishnachuda (Gulmohor) are large (15–60 cm long), deciduous (shed in the dry season), and bipinnate (twice-compound), giving them a fine, fern-like appearance.
Flowers in the Krishnachuda (Gulmohor)
Type: Flowers grow in showy, loose, terminal clusters (corymbs) at the branch ends.
Size: Flowers are usually large and spectacular.
Colour: Krishnachuda (Gulmohor) are typically vivid red to scarlet-orange and each flower has five petals: four petals are uniform in color, and one, the fifth petal (called the standard or banner), is slightly larger, different in shape, and streaked with white or yellow markings.
Fragrance: They are generally not highly fragrant, but valued for their spectacular color display.
Unique features:
The dazzling display of red/orange flowers covering the canopy is what gives it the common names "Flame Tree" and "Flamboyant."
Fruits in the Krishnachuda (Gulmohor)
Shape & size: Fruits are large, elongated, flat, woody pods (legumes). They are stipulate (small, leaf-like structures present at the base of a leaf stalk) and unilocular (Having one chamber). The pods can be quite large, typically reaching 30–60 cm (12–24 inches) in length and about 5 cm (2 inches) wide.
Colour: Young pods are green and flexible, and turn hard, dark brown, or black and woody upon the pod's maturity.
Seeds: The seeds inside the pod are numerous, transverse (lying across), oblong (long shape with parallel sides), and are usually hard.
Maturation: The pods persist on the tree for many months, often remaining until the next flowering season. They are dehiscent, meaning they eventually split open when fully dry to release the seeds.
Dispersal: Due to the large, hard nature of the seeds and pods, seed dispersal is primarily by gravity (dropping near the parent tree), although seeds are sometimes carried by water.
Pollination
Pollinators: The large, colorful flowers primarily attract insects and nectar-feeding birds for pollination.
Pollen types: Flowers are bisexual (they have both male and female parts present in them).
Human Uses in the Gulmohor
Ornamental use: It is one of the most widely cultivated ornamental plants globally, planted extensively as a shade tree and for avenue planting due to its wide, umbrella-shaped, spreading crown and spectacular bloom.
Traditional medicine: Various parts (leaves, flowers, bark, seeds) are used in folk medicine for a wide range of ailments as it has properties of being anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-rheumatic (arthritis), anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, and also is used for treating gynecological disorders and fever.
Craft use: The wood is light and soft, often used locally for fuel, and is sometimes used for light construction, boxes, crates, and handicrafts. The hard, dark seeds are also occasionally used as beads in jewellery.
Dye: The flowers contain anthocyanin pigments, which have been studied for use as a natural colorant (dye) in beverages and foods.
Cultural & Religious Significance
India & Sri Lanka: Widely known as Gulmohar and is the state tree of Delhi. Its flowering signals the onset of the hot, dry season.
Christianity (Kerala, India): In the Indian state of Kerala, it is known as kaalvarippoo (meaning "the flower of Calvary"). There is a popular belief among Saint Thomas Christians that the vibrant scarlet color of the flowers comes from the blood of Jesus Christ shed on a small Royal Poinciana tree near the Cross during the Crucifixion.
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