Batra
Melia dubia
Outdoor Plants Difficulty: Easy Air purifying
📖 About this plant
Melia dubia (syn. Melia azedarach variant — Indian bead tree or ‘Batra’ in Odia, also called Malabar neem or Heebe) is a fast-growing deciduous tree of the Meliaceae family. The tree is one of India’s most promising fast-growing timber species — wood is used for plywood, packaging, and pulpwood. The tree is extensively planted in agroforestry and farm forestry for short-rotation (8-12 year) timber crops. Leaves are used as biopesticide (like neem). Fruits are toxic to humans but used in traditional medicine.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
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Light
Full sun
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Water
Regular; moderately drought-tolerant
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Humidity
Moderate
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Temperature
15-38°C
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Soil
Well-draining loam
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Fertilizer
Compost annually; balanced NPK in spring
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- India, Southeast Asia
- 📏 Max height
- 15-25 m
- 📐 Spread
- 6-10 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring (small lilac-white flowers in panicles)
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Lilac-white
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Deciduous bipinnate dark green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 30+ years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mild — fruits contain meliatoxins
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds, cuttings
🛡️ Health & Safety
Common issues
- Leaf spot, stem borer, mealy bugs
💡 Care tips
- Plant in full sun. Fast-growing timber tree for agroforestry. Harvest at 8-12 years for plywood.
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