Arappu Tree Seeds (Albizia Amara)

Description Heirloom · Open-Pollinated · 15 seeds Usilai / Arappu Albizia Amara Seeds Albizia amara · Native This is an heirloom albizia amara variety. Buy Once and Build Your Own Seed Bank 30-50%Germination Rate 15Seeds per Pack 3-5 Years (Leaves), 10 Years (Timber)dDays to Harvest MediumBeginner Friendly About this variety A seed with a story Commonly known as Arappu, Usil, or Usilai, this highly useful native tree has been traditionally used in South India for centuries. The leaves are dried and powdered to make ‘Arappu’ powder, a natural and cooling traditional hair wash. The tree is highly drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing, and also valued for its strong wood and as green manure. Sowing Calendar When to plant — year at a glance For Tamil Nadu and most of South India. Highlighted months show the ideal sowing window for this variety. Adjust slightly for your microclimate. JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Sow / Direct seed Transplant seedlings Harvest window Best Sowing Window: June-July Grower’s Quick Reference Everything in one glance Sun Full Sun6 hours of full sun Water moderateEvenly moist early on, highly drought-tolerant once established Sowing Depth 1-2cm— Spacing 4m x 4mCan be spaced wider (5m x 5m) for larger canopy growth Germination Time 3-1525-35°C Soil well drained soilAdaptable to various soils including sandy and red loam Seed Treatment Method Prepare your seeds the traditional way A simple ritual handed down through generations — gentle treatment that improves germination and protects young seedlings naturally. iSeed PreparationSeeds have a hard coat. Soak the seeds in boiled hot water and allow the contents to cool for 24 hours before sowing. iiTreat— iiiDry— ivSow— Traditional alternatives You can also use a 3% jaggery Panchagavya soak, Beejamrutha, or simply soak in clean water if you prefer the simplest approach. We avoid all chemical seed coatings — these seeds reach you exactly as nature made them. How To Sow From seed to seedling Prepare the bedPre-treat seeds in hot water for 24 hours. Place the seedNursery mother beds or polythene bags. Water gentlyKeep moist until germination. Watch & waitWait 3-15 days for germination. Tending the Plant Care through the season Watering Regular watering for the first 1-2 years. Feeding Add organic farmyard manure yearly. Pest Care Protect young seedlings from grazing cattle and goats. Harvest Leaves can be harvested for Arappu powder once the tree is well established (2-3 years). Companion Planting Plants that love this neighbour Old wisdom and modern observation agree — these companions help your plant thrive, while a few are best kept apart. Plant alongside Good agroforestry tree; can be intercropped with shade-tolerant crops. Best kept apart from Waterlogged areas Save Your Own Seeds One pack. A lifetime of harvests. Because this is an open-pollinated heirloom — not a hybrid — every plant you grow can become next season’s seed source. Here’s how to keep the lineage alive. Choose your best plantsCollect seeds from healthy, mature trees between November and January. Let the fruit fully matureHarvest pods when they turn brown. Extract & cleanExtract, clean, and sun-dry the seeds. Store with careStore in a dry place; viability is around 6 months. The truest gift of an heirloom seed is the seed it gives back. Save a few each season, share a few with neighbours — and you become part of a chain of gardeners stretching back generations. — From the Manvasanai farm journal More Details Everything else you may want to know Seed specifications Plant name: Albizia Amara Tamil name: Usilai / Arappu Scientific name: Albizia amara Variety: Native Germination rate: 30-50% (lab-tested) Pack size / Quantity: 15 seeds (approx. 15 seeds) Seed life when stored properly: 6 months – 1 year Type: Open-pollinated · Heirloom · Non-GMO Sowing & growing summary Best sowing time: June-July Sowing depth: 1-2cm Spacing: 4m x 4m Germination: 3-15 25-35°C Days to harvest: 3-5 Years (Leaves), 10 Years (Timber) days from sowing Sun: Full Sun Water: moderate Soil: well drained soil, pH 6.0-7.5 How we grow & harvest these seeds Every seed in this packet was grown on Rangamalai Organic Farms in Karur, Tamil Nadu — under fully organic, chemical-free practices Mother plants are hand-selected for vigour and trueness to type. Fruits are left to fully mature on the plant before harvest. Seeds are sun-dried, hand-cleaned, lab-tested for germination, and packed in small batches close to the time of sale to preserve freshness. Storage & shelf life Store the unopened packet in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened, transfer remaining seeds to a clean airtight container — a glass jar with a tight lid is ideal. Adding a few dried neem leaves or a small silica sachet helps absorb moisture. Stored well, these seeds remain viable for 6 months – 1 year, though germination rates gradually decline with age. We recommend sowing within the first season for the best results. Common growing challenges Poor germination? Most often a result of cold soil, irregular watering, or seeds buried too deep. Soak before sowing, sow at the recommended depth, and keep soil consistently moist. Yellowing leaves? Usually a sign of waterlogging or nitrogen deficiency. Improve drainage and apply a compost tea drench. Pest attacks? Switch to weekly preventive sprays of neem oil diluted soap solution. Encourage ladybugs and birds in your garden. No flowering? Often too much shade or excess nitrogen. Move to fuller sun and reduce nitrogen-heavy feeds. Shipping & returns We dispatch from our farm in Karur, Tamil Nadu within 2–3 business days. Seed packets are sealed in moisture-proof envelopes and shipped in protective mailers. Because seeds are a living product, we cannot accept returns on opened packets — but if your order arrives damaged, the packet is empty, or germination falls dramatically below the stated rate (despite proper sowing), please reach out within 14 days of delivery and we’ll send a replacement. Heirloom Native Seeds · நாட்டு விதைகள் From the ROF Community Seed Bank Your packet comes from a living seed library — a quiet act of preservation we have been tending since 2015 at Rangamalai Organic Farms. Every variety we offer has been carefully grown out, hand-selected, and saved across seasons by our farm team and a growing community of seed-keeping gardeners across India. 400 Native Varieties Conserved Open-Pollinated Save & resow Non-GMO Never modified Heirloom Generations old Farm-Grown Vellaiyampatti, Karur, Tamil Nadu Arappu Tree Seeds (Albizia Amara)