Bhadraksha Scaevola Taccada Plant

Katturudraksham

Family

Goodeniaceae

Origin

India

Description

It is a soft-wooded shrub or small tree which grows up to 24 ft in height in perfect conditions. The leaves are simple, closely alternate, crowded at stem tips; blades thick, shiny light green becoming yellow with age; leaf axils with tufts of pale hairs. Flowers white to pale lilac, several in short cluster at leaf axils; Fruit a fleshy, subspherical drupe, green then white, 8-12 mm long, with sepal lobes persistent at the tip.

Its tree resembles a rudraksha tree, but its fruits and seeds are round. Its seeds, known as bhadrakshas, do not have openings, that is, they have no upper and lower ends

Plant cures vata, pitta, conjunctivitis (Fruit juice) Low back pain, Abdominal ache, Over menstruation, warts (ash) and stress relief.

Environment

Ruadrakash must have low sunlight intensity. The ideal is to be shaded by a large tree or building for the majority of sunlight hours.

Landscape Use

Ideally suited for semi-evergreen forest