Synonyms

Polyalthia fragrans (Dalzell) Hook.f. & Thomson

 Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Order: Magnoliales

Family: Annonaceae

Native: Native to several countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia

Common Names

English – Fragrant Ashok

Malayalam –  നെടുനാർ, കൊടഞ്ഞി

Tamil – Nedunar, Kodanci

Description:

This species is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree with dense foliage. It typically grows up to
25m in height. The leaves are elliptical and glossy green. Leaves and bark smells un-ripened mango.

The tree produces fragrant, yellowish-green flowers that are small and inconspicuous. The bark is
grayish-brown and smooth.

 Habitat:  Fragrant ashok is native to the Western Ghats region of India, where it is found in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Distribution: Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, where it grows in the moist, tropical climate of the Western Ghats.

Uses: In traditional medicine, various parts of the fragrant ashok tree, including the bark and leaves, are used for their medicinal properties. The bark is particularly valued for its astringent and febrifuge properties. Additionally, the tree is sometimes grown ornamentally for its attractive foliage and fragrant flowers.