Karanja
Pongamia pinnata
Outdoor Plants Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
Pongamia pinnata (syn. Millettia pinnata — Indian beech or ‘Karanja’ in Odia, also called Honge) is a medium deciduous tree of the Fabaceae family. The tree bears pinnate leaves and clusters of white-pink flowers. Seeds yield pongamia oil (karanja oil) used in soap-making, biodiesel, and traditional medicine. The tree fixes nitrogen and is extensively planted in agroforestry and for avenue planting.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun
💧
Water
Regular; moderately drought-tolerant
💨
Humidity
Moderate
🌡️
Temperature
15-38°C
🪴
Soil
Well-draining loam
🧪
Fertilizer
Compost annually
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
करंज
BN
Bengali
করঞ্জ
MR
Marathi
करंज
TE
Telugu
కరంజ
TA
Tamil
கரஞ்சா
GU
Gujarati
કરંજ
UR
Urdu
کرنج
KN
Kannada
ಕರಂಜ
OR
Odia
କରଞ୍ଜ
ML
Malayalam
കരഞ്ച
PA
Punjabi
ਕਰੰਜ
AS
Assamese
কৰঞ্জ
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Indian Subcontinent
- 📏 Max height
- 10-20 m
- 📐 Spread
- 4-6 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White-yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 40+ years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic
Common issues
- Leaf spot
- caterpillar defoliation
💡 Care tips
- Plant in well-draining soil with appropriate light.
- Tolerates Indian tropical conditions.
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