Albizia odoratissima seed

This is a fast growing deciduous tree from the Indian sub-continent. It grows to 30 metres or so tall with a large spreading crown out to 20 metres. It can grow up to 1 metre in height annually and develops a substantial trunk with a dark heartwood surrounded by a lighter less dense sap wood. Used in India and Sri Lanka for furniture and carving, it is a cheaper more readily available source of ‘rosewood’ (as opposed to the rarer and slower growing true rosewoods – Dalbergia).

Extensively planted in many places as a useful, as an initially fast growing shade tree. It is quite a decorative tree and carries large clusters of small white or yellow scented flowers followed by flattened seedpods.