Description

Night-flowering jasmine also called Har singar is a shrub or a small tree growing to 10 m (33 ft) tall, with flaky grey bark. Har singar should not be confused with the West Indian shrub Cestrum nocturnum, also called queen of the night. Nyctanthes arbortristis literally means, night-blooming sad tree. Grows as large shrub or small tree depending on how it is trained.

Characteristics:

The leaves are opposite, simple, 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) long and 2–6.5 cm (0.79–2.56 in) broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are fragrant, with a five- to eight-lobed white corolla with an orange-red centre; they are produced in clusters of two to seven together, with individual flowers opening at dusk and finishing at dawn. The fruit is a bilobed, flat brown heart-shaped to round capsule 2 cm (0.79 in) diameter, each lobe containing a single seed. The large attractive leaves are rough and hairy. The sweet scented flowers are small, attractive with white petals and an orange-red tube in center and bloom profusely, opening at night and drop off in the morning, thus making a carpet of flowers in the morning. Used for worship. Needs warmth during winter months. Use well drained soil and fertilize once a month.

Medicinal Uses:

The leaves have been used in Ayurvedic medicine and Homeopathy for sciatica, arthritis, and fevers, and as a laxative.