17/06/2025
"Your trending Gond Kateera"
The Kulu tree, also called the Ghost Tree, Tragacanth tree, Karaya Gum tree, and Kateera Gum tree is a very distinctive medium sized deciduous tree species native to India which is drought resistant and can grow very well in a water scarce environment.
It grows excellently well in the dry deciduous forests and rocky hills, typically between 400-800m altitude.
Its trunk is pale, smooth, with a fibrous bark that peels off in flakes according to its name-Ghost tree.
Large leaves are 3-5 loved and clustered at twig tips turning yellow and falling in the dry season (this picture being taken sometime around the fall season). Bears sticky flowers which are polygamous (male, female, bisexual on the same individual) which one maturing gives a star shaped pod with black coloured seeds, surrounded by stinging red hair.
These days, a gum called Gond Kateera is trending in cities but I've been having it since childhood and in many parts of the nation, it is derived from Kulu only. It finds use in food, pharma, cosmetic, and textiles/paper works.
On ingestion, it has a cooling effect, acts as a digestive aid and is anti-inflammatory being rich in soluble fiber.
Do you want to know where to sight this beautiful specimen?
Let me know in the comments below.
