Rohida Tree (Tecomella undulata): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It
Tecomella undulata
Rohida is an endangered desert tree of India's dry north-west, loved for its spring flowers and once the Thar's main native timber. Where it grows in India, when to plant it, how to water and protect it for three years, what it does for birds and soil, and what to watch out for.
Varieties
Known varieties and forms of this tree in India, how they differ and where they grow.
Natural form (3)
Orange-flowered rohidaFlower colour: OrangePod length: About 23.1 cm average (longest of the three)Grown in: Northwest arid
A 2026 survey of 14 populations in eight Rajasthan districts found the orange morph most common, with the highest flowering and fruiting. A 2025 CAZRI study describes orange as an intermediate form between yellow and red.
- Flower colour
- Orange
- Pod length
- About 23.1 cm average (longest of the three)
Sources: International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research, Cambridge University Press, Indian Forester (ICFRE)
Yellow-flowered rohidaFlower colour: YellowPod length: About 21.8 cm average; widest podsGrown in: Northwest arid
In a 2025 AFRI marker study, yellow-flowered trees formed a genetic cluster separate from red and orange trees. In the 2026 Rajasthan survey they had the shortest but widest pods.
- Flower colour
- Yellow
- Pod length
- About 21.8 cm average; widest pods
Sources: Indian Forester (ICFRE), International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research, Cambridge University Press
Red-flowered rohidaFlower colour: RedGrown in: Northwest arid
A 2025 CAZRI study of Thar Desert populations found red morphs more frequent, while the 2026 Rajasthan survey found red the least common of the three. Genetically, red trees cluster with orange ones (AFRI, 2025).
- Flower colour
- Red
Sources: Cambridge University Press, Indian Forester (ICFRE), International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research
Compare all varieties
| Variety | Pod length | Flower colour |
|---|---|---|
| Orange-flowered rohida | About 23.1 cm average (longest of the three) | Orange |
| Yellow-flowered rohida | About 21.8 cm average; widest pods | Yellow |
| Red-flowered rohida | — | Red |
Sources: Meena, Chauhan & Sharma (2026). Characterisation of three flower colour morphotypes of Tecomella undulata (Rohida) in Rajasthan. IJOEAR – International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research; Mathur & Mathur (2025). AI-based classification of flower colour polymorphism of Tecomella undulata. Plant Genetic Resources 24(3) – Cambridge University Press; Meena, Sharma & Chouhan (2025). Assessment of genetic variation among three different flower colour morphotypes of Tecomella undulata using SCoT markers. Indian Forester 151(4) – Indian Forester (ICFRE)
This article was prepared with AI assistance. Please check important details against the sources shown in each section.
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