Shorea robusta (Sal Tree)

Sal trees are found from Burma in the East, to Assam, Bengal, Nepal, the Deccan Plateau, going up to the foothills of the Shivaliks on the left bank of the Yamuna. One of the most important timber species in India and Nepal. It is one of the most prized timbers for construction. Sal forests in Nepal occur mainly in the Terai region, however, they are also distributed in the mid-mountain areas. Sal is a gregarious species and it forms the dominant composition in the forests where it occurs. The seeds are used for fat extraction. Sal is a tall handsome tree providing very good quality timber. Sal is a gregarious species and it forms the dominant composition in the forests where it occurs. It grows well in a well-drained, moist, sandy loam soil. It is a moderate to slow growing species and can attain a height of about 30 to 35 m and a girth of about 2 to 2.5 m in about 100 years under favorable conditions. The Sal tree is an object of worship among Buddhists and Hindus in India and the adjoining countries. The legend has it that the famous Lumbini tract where Lord Buddha had sat for meditation and acquired salvation constituted a thick forest of Sal trees.