Narra

Narra

Pterocarpus indicus
Leguminosae

Large deciduous tree up to 40 m tall. Compound leaves to 30 cm long with 5 to 11 leaflets. The flowers are yellow, fragrant and to 1.5 cm long. The pods are surrounded by a broad wing and contain one seed. Widely planted in the Philippines for shade and for its valuable timber. Indigenous to South Asia and the Pacific. It grows fast and resists strong winds. There are two subspecies: the smooth narra (P.indicus indicus) has smooth pods, while the prickly narra (P. indicus echinatus) has spiny pods. This beloved tree is the national tree of the Philippines.