The Ashoka tree is nature’s gift and is significant in spirituality. Planting the Ashoka tree at home can bring you happiness and optimism and serve many other purposes. The Ashoka tree is religiously important in part of the subcontinent of India as it can be used in so many ways.
According to an article published on PharmEasy and reviewed by Dr Rajeev Singh, naturally, parts of the Ashoka tree are of medicinal value. Various ailments are treated with Ashoka trees, from the tree’s bark to leaves, flowers and seed. It yields seeds that naturally treat illnesses for both men and women.1
Ashoka is more than a tree as it holds spiritual importance while possessing highly medicinal value.
What Is an Ashoka Tree?
The Ashoka tree (Latin name, Saraca asoca) is special and sacred in Indian culture. Ashoka is one of the most valuable trees in Indian culture. Every part of the sacred tree, from its bark, flowers, leaves, and seeds is medicinal.2
Universally known as Saraca asoca or Saraca Indica, the sacred and evergreen tree belongs to the family Caesalpinaceae. In the English world, it’s commonly known as the Asok tree.3
The Ashoka tree is mainly found on the subcontinent of India. It’s a rainforest tree that is mostly found in the Deccan Plateau and Western Ghats region of India. The Ashoka tree uniquely exists in nature with its orange and yellow flowers.
The tree’s flowers grow in bunches and their colours are transformed to red before they fall. In Indian culture, the sacred tree is a natural gift dedicated to the Indian love god Kamadeva.
Also referred to as the Indian Fir tree, the Ashoka tree can grow to a height reaching 6-9 metres (19.83 to 29.63 feet). Ashoka stands out with its dense foliage and orange or orange-yellow flowers.4
- Bark: Ashoka tree bark appears dark green and it’s naturally marked by ash-white and bluish patches of lichen.
- Flowers: Asoka tree yields fragrant orange or orange-yellow flowers. The tree’s flowers bloom from December to March and change to red before they fall.
- Fruit: Fruits from Ashoka trees are more like broad beans with a black colour, containing about 4 to 8 seeds.5
- Leaves: Ashoka leaves can grow to a length of 15 to 20 centimetres. At their developing stage, they appear copper-red before turning green when they are fully mature.6
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Medicinal and Spiritual Benefits of Planting Ashoka Tree at Home
The Ashoka tree, universally known as Saraca indica is an evergreen sacred tree that holds a significant place in Indian culture. According to a study, the word “Ashoka” means “without sorrow” in Sanskrit.
Ashoka is a sacred tree to Kamadeva, the Hindu god of love. The Sanskrit meaning of the Ashoka tree highlights its association with happiness and well-being.
The Ashoka tree possesses many spiritual and medicinal benefits. It’s believed that the Ashoka tree brings good fortune. The Ashoka tree is believed to be of good omen and should be planted or placed at the entrance of the home.
According to a study on the Cultural and Scientific Evaluation of the Ashoka tree, the tree should be planted in the garden or the house as pre-eminently conducive to the welfare of the home.7
The Ashoka tree is believed to bless a household with prosperity and good fortune when it’s planted in the north direction of a home. The presence of an Ashoka tree in homes offers spiritual value that is believed to prosper homes and eradicate bad energy.
Regarding its medicinal benefits, the Ashoka tree is considered one of nature’s gifts that possesses high medicinal value. The tree is generally used to treat a variety of ailments. The most common are colds and fever but it’s also used to treat other health-related issues.8
The sacred tree’s roots are used to eliminate Vastu Dosh (a term in Vedic astrology that describes imbalances in a building or space causing problems like health issues, relationships, and financial instability) from a home.9 This highlights why it’s important to plant an Ashoka tree in a home. Staying close to an Ashoka tree has a spiritual importance. In Indian culture, it’s believed that when one mediates under the sacred Ashoka tree, it takes negativity and sorrow away.
It’s believed that spending more time under the legendary tree brings prosperity and good luck. In Indian tradition and culture, worshipping the Ashoka tree improves productivity and yields positive results quickly. It’s recommended to sprinkle drops of Gangajal on the roots of the tree as it purifies the Ashoka tree, and the best place to keep the tree is in the pooja room of your house.
Where to Plant Ashoka Tree Home
The Ashoka tree holds prominent value in spirituality in Indian culture. It possesses rich medicinal value and its presence in homes is believed to bring prosperity and good fortune.
While an Ashoka is suited for gardens, it can be planted in a home for its spiritual importance and the removal of negativity. it can also be planted on the road for a better decorative appearance.
If you have a garden at home, you can purchase the sacred Ashoka tree at a nearby plant nursery to grow. You can also grow the Ashoka tree from seeds but the growing process will be time-consuming.
Ashoka trees can be grown outdoors close to the house. Do not grow the Ashoka tree in a small planting pot because its root grows several metres. Instead, plant your Ashoka tree in the ground.
First, dig up a deep hole that is up to 7 to 8 inches deep. Next, transfer the plant you purchased from the plant nursery into the ground you dug.
After the tree is carefully transferred into the hole, cover it with soil. Ensure to fill the hole properly with soil.
Growing an Ashoka tree is easy and the best time to plant them in your home is during the rainy season. The Ashoka tree flourishes outdoors in spaces that receive full sunlight.
Planting can be done year-round, but it’s best to plant during the rainy season. Water the plant once you notice that about 1 to 2 inches from the surface of the soil is becoming a little dry. However, do not overwater—stop watering when you notice that the surface of the soil has become damp, as overwatering may result in leaves turning yellow and/or falling off.
The Ashoka tree can be used to decorate the driveway or as a partition between houses.
Learn more: How to Start Vertical Farming at Home
Benefits of Planting an Ashoka Tree in Your Home
The Ashoka tree possesses many spiritual and medicinal benefits. It’s believed that it brings good fortune to a home.
Planting an Ashoka tree at home provides you with an opportunity to treat several health issues. It is a natural remedy for diabetes, haemorrhages, depression, gynaecological problems, and muscular spasms.
The Ashoka tree possesses a healing touch for several diseases. Parts of the tree, such as dried stems and barks are potent enough to reduce the risk of potential kidney stones. It can also be used to manage hypertension and bacterial infections. Other illnesses like blood clotting in the body, arthritis, and stomach ulcers can be treated with the Ashoka tree.10
How to Grow and Care for the Ashoka Tree
Naturally, the Ashoka tree flourishes in areas with humid and warm climates. They are best suited for fertile and well-drained soil. Although the tree can be planted all year round, the best time to plant is during the rainy season.
An Ashoka tree is a valuable and sacred tree that needs a special maintenance routine. As we previously said, the best way to plant it at home is to dig a hole with an average depth of 6 to 8 cm.
Ensure you maintain soil moisture without saturating with water. The removal of excess material from the tree is needed to ensure healthy growth.
Benefits of Ashoka Trees
Enhances Intelligence
What if I told you that the Ashoka tree bark may enhance intelligence when mixed with Brahmi and milk? It’s said that the Ashoka tree bark is a natural product that can be consumed with Brahmi powder.
Brahmi is certified as a plant containing several chemicals that promote the protein synthesis process in the human nerve and brain cells. It’s a plant that enhances the grasping power of the human brain.11
Consuming a teaspoon of a concoction of Ashoka bark and Brahmi powder with a cup of milk may naturally improve intelligence according to several claims.12
Ashoka Products are Dermato Protective
Ashoka’s bark, roots, and seed extracted are highly medicinal to treat several skin complications. They are effective in treating eczema, acne, dermatitis, scabies, tinea pedis, herpes-kush ta/visrpa, and pruritis.
Ashoka’s flower extract contains flavonoids. The flower extract is potent and has been shown to reduce skin tumours caused by 7, 12-dimethyl bendanthracene 40.13 Additionally, Ashoka’s flower extract is a remedy to reduce freckles and external inflammations of the skin. It enhances the healing process of the skin from injuries and improves skin complexion.14
How to Maintain an Ashoka Tree
The Ashoka tree thrives in well-drained and moist soil. Saraca indica is mostly found in the tropical regions of India, specifically in the Deccan Plateau and the Western Ghats.15
Water
Planting during the dry season or summer months will require daily watering. Water the plant once you notice that about 1 to 2 inches of the soil is dry.
If you are in a colder climate, water the soil once every two days. The best time to water the plant is during the morning hours or in the evening.
However, make sure not to overwater the Ashoka tree. Overwatering may cause leaf loss or discolouration.
Temperature
The Ashoka tree needs full sunlight to flourish outdoors and a colder temperature can affect the plant’s growth.
When it’s winter, the Ashoka tree can be exposed to direct or indirect sunlight to maintain healthy growth.
Light
The Ashoka tree planted out absorbs enough sunlight it needs to flourish. However, if you just recently got your tree from a plant nursery, you can place the tree in a position that receives enough sunlight.
The Ashoka tree needs sunlight, so ensure it’s exposed to enough sunlight, especially during the winter months.
Fertilizer
Organic fertilizers are used and remain the best alternative to grow the Ashoka tree. The best time to use the organic fertilizer on your developing Ashoka tree is in the early hours of the day.
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How to Transplant an Ashoka Tree?
The best time to transplant
Spring is the perfect time of the year to transplant an Ashoka tree.
Find a well-drained spot that gets enough sunlight to improve the plant’s growth. Planting can be done from early to late spring.
Before transplanting, make sure you maintain soil moisture, which will help the plant develop without any leaf discolouration.
The best soil mix for Ashoka tree transplanting
The soil made ready for transplanting should be one with good drainage. The made-ready spot for transplanting should contain a mix of compost. Or, you can use a slow-release fertilizer to get the ground ready for transplanting.
The perfect place to transplant the Ashoka tree
The best place to transplant the Ashoka tree is a spot where it gets plenty of sunlight. The Ashoka tree thrives when exposed to an average of 4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight.
Natural sunlight ensures the healthy and strong growth of the plant.
Average Space to leave between Ashoka tree plant
When planting the Ashoka tree, leave an average space of 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 metres). This measurement is enough spacing to allow each plant to flourish in the open.
Conclusion
Regarding its medicinal benefits, the Ashoka tree is considered one of nature’s gifts that possesses high medicinal value. The tree is generally used to treat a variety of ailments.
The presence of an Ashoka tree in homes offers spiritual value that is believed to prosper homes and eradicate bad energy.
You can plant the Ashoka tree at home to decorate the driveway or as a partition between houses. Planting can be done year-round but it’s best to plant during the rainy season. Water the plant once you notice that about 1 to 2 inches of the soil is dry.
Sources
- Ashoka Tree: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects and More By Dr. Rajeev Singh ↩︎
- Smitha Gingade: “Vegetative propagation of Ashoka (Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde) – An endangered medicinal plant.” 2013. ↩︎
- P. Pradhan et al: “Saraca asoca (Ashoka): A Review.” 2009. ↩︎
- Indra Gaurav Saxena et al: “Exploring the Ashoka tree (Saraca asoca), its botanical features, therapeutic uses, and homoeopathic applications.”: DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26164485.2024.v8.i2e.1153. ↩︎
- Indra Gaurav Saxena et al: “Exploring the Ashoka tree (Saraca asoca), its botanical features, therapeutic uses, and homoeopathic applications.”: DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26164485.2024.v8.i2e.1153. ↩︎
- National Library of Medicine: “Reproductive biology and breeding system of Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde: a vulnerable medicinal plant.” 2016 ↩︎
- Asoka (Saraca Indica Linn): “A Cultural and Scientific Evaluation.” ↩︎
- Katkar, K. V., Suthar, A. C., & Chauhan, V. S. (2010). The chemistry, pharmacologic, and therapeutic applications of Polyalthia longifolia. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 4(7), 62-68. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.65329 ↩︎
- threads.werindia.com: Spiritual And Medicinal Benefits Of Planting Sacred Ashoka Tree At Home ↩︎
- Rasekar, V., & Shahi, S. (2022). Medical application of Ashok tree (Saraca asoca): A review. International Journal of Health Sciences, 6(S2), 8752²8759.
https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6nS2.7262 ↩︎ - Debjit Bhowmik et al: “Scholars Research Library.” 2010. ↩︎
- Lybrate.com: Benefits of Ashoka Tree And Its Side Effects ↩︎
- Mohammad Abu Bin Nyeem: Ashoka (Saraca indica) as a women-friendly plant: A review.” ↩︎
- Singh, Satpal, et al. “Phytomedicinal Importance of Saraca Asoca (Ashoka): An Exciting Past, an Emerging Present and a Promising Future.” Current Science, vol. 109, no. 10, 2015, pp. 1790–801. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24906142. ↩︎
- Vaishnavi Rasekar: “Medical application of Ashok tree (Saraca asoca): A review.” ↩︎