Genduli
Sterculia urens
📖 About this plant
Sterculia urens (kullu tree or ‘Genduli’ in Odia, also called Indian tragacanth) is a medium deciduous tree of the Sterculiaceae family. The tree yields Indian tragacanth (kullu gum) — a high-quality gum exuded from the bark, used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food. The tree has distinctive yellow papery bark that peels off in flakes. Wood is light and used for packing cases and matches. The tree is naturally found in dry deciduous forests of central and southern India.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun
Drought-tolerant once established
Low to moderate
15-40°C
Well-draining; tolerates poor rocky soils
Compost annually
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- India
- 📏 Max height
- 10-15 m
- 📐 Spread
- 5-7 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring (yellow-red flowers in panicles)
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Yellow-red
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Deciduous large lobed green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 60+ years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mild — bark hairs irritate skin
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds
🛡️ Health & Safety
Common issues
- Leaf spot
- stem borer
- bark hair irritation
💡 Care tips
- Plant in full sun.
- Tolerates drought.
- Gum is harvested sustainably by making vertical incisions in bark.