About Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn.
Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. grows to 20–25 metres in height, and typically has a buttressed trunk. It forms a wide canopy at its crown, with branches that grow downwards. It bears oblong, conical leaves that are green on the upper surface and brown on the lower surface, along with smooth, grey bark. Its pale yellow flowers bloom between March and June. Its glabrous, fibrous woody fruit measures 2.5 to 5 cm across, is divided into five wings, and develops between September and November. This tree does not experience any major diseases or pest infestations, but it is susceptible to infection by Phyllactinia terminale and rot caused by Polystictus affinis. Arjuna occurs across the Indian subcontinent, and most often grows on river banks or near dry river beds in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, and south and central India. It is also found in Karachi (Pakistan), Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and has been planted in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kenya. In riparian forests of southern India, arjuna is classified as a keystone species. It provides nesting habitat for multiple species, including Malabar giant squirrels and the critically endangered white-rumped vulture. Dead arjuna trunks host termites, which are a food source for sloth bears.
