Commonly known throughout Bengal as the arjuna or arjun tree, Terminalia arjuna is a tree belonging to the genus Terminalia, family Combretaceae. The tree is referred to as "Arjuna," which is Sanskrit for "white" or "bright," and presumably refers to the tree's creamy-white flowers or the gleaming nature of its bark.
A full-grown arjuna tree reaches a height of 20 to 25 metres. It typically has a trunk with buttresses, and creates a broad canopy at the crown, from which droopy, prolonged branches descend. It has smooth bark and elongated, conical leaves that are green above and brown below. The bark of arjuna is mostly grey in colour with a subtle pinkish undertone; it has a tendency to come off in irregular sized sheets. For arjuna, the flowering season lasts from May to June, and the seeds ripen from January to March. Once matured, the fruits become dark brown in colour, and contain hard, projecting veined wings.
The species is found throughout most of India in mixed dry deciduous tropical woods. It is frequently noticed near waterbodies and can also be grown elsewhere as an avenue tree. To grow an arjuna, the soil must be loose, moist, fertile, and have excellent drainage and water-holding capacity. Alluvial loamy or black cotton soils are preferred by the tree. However, the plant can endure open, sunny regions with little to no rainfall. Besides West Bengal and Odisha, Arjuna can also be spotted on river banks or near dry river beds in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.
The bark of Arjun is primarily used in the preparation of cardiotonics because it increases the heart's blood flow. It is also used to treat ulcers, fractures, liver cirrhosis, ischaemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, myocardial necrosis, and hypertension. It is also beneficial for angina pain, and congestive heart failure.
Apart from being an important medicinal component, Arjuna is rich in several properties, making it functional for other uses too. The Antheraea paphia moth consumes the leaves of the arjuna tree, thus producing the valuable tassar silk, a wild silk with great commercial value. The arjuna powder helps regain lost skin and scalp health.
