The values of Sheuli

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is better known as night jasmine in English and sheuli in Bengali. This soul-touching flower with its snowy white petals and orange centre is called the queen of night as it prefers the silence of the night to bloom. In the past, we used to see sheuli trees alongside many houses. But it is not seen so often now. I remember an incident of my childhood when my mother was crying silently and could not eat anything that day when a sheuli tree near our house was chopped off. Such love for trees is very rare nowadays.

Sheuli tree has tremendous medicinal values. It is used for the treatment of anxiety, restlessness, headache, gastritis and hepatitis. Sheuli leaves are used for the treatment of ringworm, arthritis, fevers, skin problems and pain. It tastes bitter but it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compound. You can rid of your dandruff or lice problem by using sheuli treatment. We can also use it as mild laxative and as expectorant in cough and cold. So we should plant more sheuli trees. Roadsides can be used in that purpose.
Sujit De
Kolkata, India