Patalgaruda
Rauvolfia serpentina
Medicinal Plants Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
Rauvolfia serpentina (Indian snakeroot or ‘Patalgaruda’ in Odia, also called Sarpagandha) is a shrub of the Apocynaceae family. The plant’s roots contain reserpine — the first modern antihypertensive drug (1950s). Roots are used in Ayurvedic medicine for high blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, and snake bite (hence ‘snakeroot’). The plant is now endangered due to over-harvesting.
🧑🌾 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
Patalgaruda
BN
Bengali
Patalgaruda
MR
Marathi
Patalgaruda
TE
Telugu
Patalgaruda
TA
Tamil
Patalgaruda
GU
Gujarati
Patalgaruda
UR
Urdu
Patalgaruda
KN
Kannada
Patalgaruda
OR
Odia
Patalgaruda
ML
Malayalam
Patalgaruda
PA
Punjabi
Patalgaruda
AS
Assamese
Patalgaruda
📋 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
- Mild — milky latex may irritate skin
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds
🛡️ Health & Safety
Common issues
- Leaf spot
- caterpillar defoliation
💡 Care tips
- Plant in well-draining soil with appropriate light.
- Tolerates Indian tropical conditions.
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 7 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
