Millingtonia hortensis

Millingtonia hortensis also known as Akash Neem, Indian Cork Tree, Maramalli, Tamil, Tree Jasmine is original to Burma and the Malay Archipelago but is now growing wild and extensively planted in several parts of India. In most areas of India the cork tree is raised in lawns and avenues. High and simple, the popularity argument with comparatively few branches lies in its ornamental value instead of any shade-giving properties. This is a fine tree, growing rapidly, but with broken wood, vulnerable to storms. It can exceed 80 ft in height in favorable location, but can be established as a compact plant, trimmed or a nice container specimens. The ashy bark is broken and damaged, and the various cracks make it easy to break the cork. This is used as a lower substitute for actual cork. The foliage is topped by the profusion of silvery white, deliciously aromatic flowers from April before the rains and again in November and December. Every branchlet ends with upright open clusters of dropping blooms. Growing flora is a tiny bell-shaped calyx that divides into four waxy white petals and several striking yellow anthered stemming tubes. One petal is longer and splintered. Some of the flowers are tinted with rose delicately. When they fall shortly after opening, the flower sprays consist mostly of long whitish buds, while the ground below is obscured by numerous small stars. Throughout the night the tree blossoms and flores early in the morning; fragrant flowers fall and touch the ground. The ceremonies using the flowers. The scent of the flowers makes them quite famous. The waxy characteristic of the flowers ensures long-lasting freshness. Millingtonia hortensis leaves extract has strong antimicrobial activity. Crop dried-bronchodilator, heart-pulmonary tonic. The leaves are discarded and replaced between January and March in April and May, although the tree never seems to be completely bare. The long leaves are scattered with two or three broad pinnaes, each one with five or seven smooth, oval, pointy and very rounded leaflets. Every one is 1 to 3 centimeters long. Occasionally the lower pinnae are split again and have at the edge a pair of three pinnae, one or two sets of leaflets and one leaflet .. The fruits are very long and thin, with both ends, flat seeds. Trees don’t seed in India very quickly. According to legend, this is a heavenly tree that God Krishna brought to earth. There was a rivalry between Satyabhama and Rukmini, the wives of Krishnas. Yet Krishna planted the tree in Satyabhamas court in a manner that fell in Rukminis courtyard when the tree flowered. Another love tale about Parijataka, a princess, woven around the forest. She fell in love with the sun but she committed suicide when he abandoned her and a tree rose from ashes. The tree just blooms in the night and throws them out before the sun goes up like tear drops, which can not bear the sight of the lover who abandoned her.