Product Description: Stereospermum chelonoides Seeds – The Enlightenment Tree
Plant a legacy of ancient wisdom, fragrant blooms, and forest resilience with Stereospermum chelonoides. Known as the Patala or Parul, this majestic deciduous tree whispers legends of enlightenment and healing—as the tree under which the third Buddha attained awakening.
Bloom Color & Fragrance
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Bloom Color & Form: In early spring, airy clusters—drooping panicles—bloom with soft pink or mauve flowers often streaked with yellow interiors. The petals are delicate yet proudly displayed in panicles up to 20 cm long.
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Fragrance: Each blossom exudes a gentle, cooling fragrance, turning forest paths into perfumed corridors at flowering time.
Hardiness & Growth Conditions
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USDA Hardiness Zones: While precise USDA data is scarce, this tree thrives across tropical and subtropical Asia—suggesting hardiness roughly in zones 9–11. It grows robustly in warm climates with seasonal moisture and tolerates partial shade.
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Habitat & Resilience: This forest giant can reach 10–20 meters tall, showing remarkable toughness—even regenerating after forest fires. It favors moist deciduous forests, lateritic or sandy soils, and savannah-like landscapes.
Wildlife & Pollinator Enchantment
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While not specifically documented as a larval host in available sources, the fragrant, pendulous flowers naturally draw pollinating bees and forest insects, weaving wings and blooms into a quiet dance. The seeds open into winged fruits—miniature parachutes of forest dispersal, likely sheltering small insects or wildlife briefly as they drift.
Cultural & Botanical Lore
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Spiritual Significance: In Theravada Buddhism, this tree is honored as the Bodhi tree of the third Buddha—imbued with a sacred legacy.
- Timber & Utility: Beyond medicine, the sturdy wood shapes canoes, tea boxes, furniture, and charcoal—its utility matched only by its healing spirit.
Why Grow Patala From Seed?
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Living Legacy: Sow a tree that blends spiritual symbolism, botanical elegance, and heritage healing.
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Fragrant Spring Spectacle: Enjoy perfumed pink blooms that evoke sacred gardens.
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Wild Resilience: A survivor in fire-prone forests, offering beauty and shade year-round.
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Medicinal & Cultural Richness: This tree is not just a plant—it’s a stored memory of Ayurveda and ancient lore, rooted in your soil.
Plant Stereospermum chelonoides seeds to grow more than a tree—grow a fragrant monument to enlightenment, healing, and forest lore.