Description
Albizia Amara Seeds
This is an heirloom albizia amara variety. Buy Once and Build Your Own Seed Bank
About this variety
A seed with a story
Commonly known as Arappu, Usil, or Usilai, this highly useful native tree has been traditionally used in South India for centuries.
The leaves are dried and powdered to make ‘Arappu’ powder, a natural and cooling traditional hair wash. The tree is highly drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing, and also valued for its strong wood and as green manure.
Sowing Calendar
When to plant — year at a glance
For Tamil Nadu and most of South India. Highlighted months show the ideal sowing window for this variety. Adjust slightly for your microclimate.
Best Sowing Window: June-July
Grower’s Quick Reference
Everything in one glance
Sun
Full Sun6+ hours of full sun
Water
moderateEvenly moist early on, highly drought-tolerant once established
Sowing Depth
1-2cm—
Spacing
4m x 4mCan be spaced wider (5m x 5m) for larger canopy growth
Germination Time
3-1525-35°C
Soil
well drained soilAdaptable to various soils including sandy and red loam
Seed Treatment Method
Prepare your seeds the traditional way
A simple ritual handed down through generations — gentle treatment that improves germination and protects young seedlings naturally.
Seeds have a hard coat. Soak the seeds in boiled hot water and allow the contents to cool for 24 hours before sowing.
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How To Sow
From seed to seedling
Pre-treat seeds in hot water for 24 hours.
Nursery mother beds or polythene bags.
Keep moist until germination.
Wait 3-15 days for germination.
Tending the Plant
Care through the season
Regular watering for the first 1-2 years.
Add organic farmyard manure yearly.
Protect young seedlings from grazing cattle and goats.
Leaves can be harvested for Arappu powder once the tree is well established (2-3 years).
Companion Planting
Plants that love this neighbour
Old wisdom and modern observation agree — these companions help your plant thrive, while a few are best kept apart.
Plant alongside
Best kept apart from
Save Your Own Seeds
One pack. A lifetime of harvests.
Because this is an open-pollinated heirloom — not a hybrid — every plant you grow can become next season’s seed source. Here’s how to keep the lineage alive.
Collect seeds from healthy, mature trees between November and January.
Harvest pods when they turn brown.
Extract, clean, and sun-dry the seeds.
Store in a dry place; viability is around 6 months.
The truest gift of an heirloom seed is the seed it gives back. Save a few each season, share a few with neighbours — and you become part of a chain of gardeners stretching back generations. — From the Manvasanai farm journal
More Details
Everything else you may want to know
Seed specifications
- Plant name: Albizia Amara
- Tamil name: Usilai / Arappu
- Scientific name: Albizia amara
- Variety: Native
- Germination rate: 30-50% (lab-tested)
- Pack size / Quantity: 15 seeds (approx. 15 seeds)
- Seed life when stored properly: 6 months – 1 year
- Type: Open-pollinated · Heirloom · Non-GMO
Sowing & growing summary
- Best sowing time: June-July
- Sowing depth: 1-2cm
- Spacing: 4m x 4m
- Germination: 3-15 25-35°C
- Days to harvest: 3-5 Years (Leaves), 10+ Years (Timber) days from sowing
- Sun: Full Sun
- Water: moderate
- Soil: well drained soil, pH 6.0-7.5
How we grow & harvest these seeds
Storage & shelf life
Common growing challenges
- Poor germination? Most often a result of cold soil, irregular watering, or seeds buried too deep. Soak before sowing, sow at the recommended depth, and keep soil consistently moist.
- Yellowing leaves? Usually a sign of waterlogging or nitrogen deficiency. Improve drainage and apply a compost tea drench.
- Pest attacks? Switch to weekly preventive sprays of neem oil + diluted soap solution. Encourage ladybugs and birds in your garden.
- No flowering? Often too much shade or excess nitrogen. Move to fuller sun and reduce nitrogen-heavy feeds.
Yogesh (verified owner) –
Good Quality