Mahua

Mahua is a fast-growing tree, up to about 20 metres tall, with a spreading crown and fleshy, cream-coloured flowers rich in natural sugars. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows in the forests of central India and in Kerala, where it is called ilippa.

Known in Sanskrit as Madhuka, its flowers, seed oil and bark are used in traditional Indian practice. The seed butter is valued in skin-care preparations and soaps, and the flowers are eaten in tribal regions.