Grey Milkwood
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Scientific name
Cerbera odollam Gaertn.
English Name
Dog-bane, Grey Milkwood
Malayalam name
ഒതളം
Common name
Suicide Tree, Sea Mango, Pong-pong
Description
- Habit : Tree
- Habitat : Primarily found in mangrove swamps, coastal swamps, and along the banks of rivers and backwaters in Kerala.
- Leaves : Simple, glossy, and dark green.
- Stem : The bark is greyish-brown and relatively smooth with distinct leaf scars.
- Flowers : Beautiful, fragrant, and star-shaped.
- Fruits : A smooth, ovoid drupe, about the size of a mango
Uses
Ringworm,scabies,haemorrhoids
Parts used
Bark,leaves,latex,flower
How to use
- The leaves are used externally to treat ringworm.
- A leaf decoction is added to an aromatic bath after childbirth.
- Hair tonic : The seed, and in particular the seed oil, is toxic and strongly purgative
- The flowers are used as a treatment for hemorrhoids.
Conservation
Propagation & Cultivation
Naturally propagates via water. In cultivation, the dried fibrous fruit (the "stone") is planted in moist soil. Prefers wet, muddy, or sandy soils. It is highly tolerant of salinity.Full sun to partial shade.Requires high moisture; it is ideally suited for waterlogged areas or pond edges.Because of its high toxicity, it is generally discouraged from being planted in home gardens where children or pets may encounter the fallen fruit.
