Patala (Trumpet Flower Tree)

Patala, or the trumpet flower tree, is a tall deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family with pinnate leaves, fragrant, trumpet-shaped pinkish-purple flowers and long, slender, ribbed seed pods. It grows in moist forests across South and Southeast Asia, including the Western Ghats of Kerala.

The root and bark are used. In Ayurveda, Patala is one of the ten roots of Dashamula and is traditionally included in classical decoctions and general wellness preparations. In Buddhist tradition it is honoured as the tree of enlightenment of an earlier Buddha.