What Does the Mysore Thorn Tree Look Like? A Detailed Explanation of Its Morphological Characteristics

The Mysore thorn is a vine plant. Its bark is dark red; the branches, leaf rachises and inflorescences are all covered with soft hairs and hooked thorns. The petals are yellow, round or obovate, 10-12 mm long, curling backward when in full bloom, with stamens equal in length to the petals. Its pod is oblong-ligulate, 6-12 cm long and 2.5-3 cm wide, chestnut brown, hairless and glossy, splitting open along the ventral suture when ripe.

I. Cultivation Techniques for the Mysore Thorn

It prefers warmth and sunshine, and sandy loam with good drainage and a deep soil layer is best. It can also be grown by riversides, forest edges, or as a hedge. Before planting, apply plenty of decomposed base fertilizer and remove the growing tip of the plant. Water thoroughly after planting, and apply a light fertilizer after sprouting to encourage side branch growth. During the summer growing season, fertilize once a month. Prune and shape it appropriately; during the flowering period from April to May, remove faded inflorescences at any time to encourage new branches to sprout.

II. Propagation Methods for the Mysore Thorn

1. Sowing

In the Sichuan region, raise seedlings from March to April. First soak the seeds for 2-3 days, then sow. On well-prepared land, make raised beds 1.3 m wide, open horizontal furrows at a row spacing of 24-30 cm and a depth of 3-6 cm, sow 40-50 seeds per furrow, using 15-20 jin of seeds per mu, apply human and livestock manure water, cover with 1 cm of plant ash, and finally cover with soil level with the bed surface. Dig up the seedlings for transplanting around October. On the chosen land, open holes at a row and plant spacing of 1 m each, with holes 12-18 cm deep. Plant 1-2 plants per hole, cover with soil and press firm, then cover with soil level with the bed surface, and finally water to settle the roots.

2. Cuttings

During the plum rain season, use mature young branches of the current year; they root 20-25 days after insertion. For sowing, collect seeds in autumn, store them dry until sowing in May of the following year, scarify part of the seed coat before sowing, and they germinate about 30 days after sowing.

The roots, stems and fruits of the Mysore thorn can all be used medicinally. It is warm in nature, bitter and astringent in taste, and non-toxic, with effects of releasing the exterior and dispersing cold, activating blood and unblocking meridians, and detoxifying and killing insects; it treats muscle and bone pain and traumatic injuries. The fruit peel and bark contain tannins, and the seeds contain 35% oil, which can be used to make soap and lubricating oil.