Ceylon Ironwood

Ceylon ironwood, or cobra saffron, is a slow-growing tree of the Indomalayan realm, named for the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It grows over 30 metres tall, with a buttressed base, grey-green leaves that flush pink to red when young, and large fragrant white flowers. It is the national tree of Sri Lanka. The wood is deep dark red and mainly used for railway ties and heavy timber. Its flowers, leaves, seeds and roots are used as herbal medicines in India and Malaysia, and in nag champa incense sticks. In Assam its seed oil lit homes before kerosene. Theravada Buddhism holds that it was the Bodhi tree of four past Buddhas, and that Maitreya will awaken under it.