March 23rd, 2007 | admin

Sal (Shorea robusta) is a timber tree. It is however very difficult to make furniture out of this tree. The wood of the tree has long been used as railway sleepers, but now is being replaced with concrete sleepers.

Sal trees yield a resin, which is pleasant incense, smoked especially in Hindu families. The sal fruits also produce an oil, which is solid at room temperature is used to burn lamps.

This tree is however almost totally absent from Kerala or south Indian forests. It is found in the forests of Assam, Bengal, Jharkhand, Haryana etc.