Indigenous trees of Aravali: Hingot

Hingot, (Balanites roxburghii), also known as the Desert Date and the soapberry tree or Egyptian Balsam, is a hardy drought-resistant tree native to arid, semi-arid  and rocky regions across India, Africa and the Middle-East, helping in combating desertification.

It is a bushy shrub, at times a tree, with thorny branches. Flowers are small, fragrant, pale-greenish to yellowish-white, blooming in clusters, from July to December.

The fruits are oval-shaped greenish-yellow drupes, turning brown on ripening and the fleshy pulp is edible. The seeds are pressed for a high-quality oil, 'Zachun oil, used in cosmetics and for medicinal purposes.

The fruit is also rich in saponins, which acts as a natural foaming agent , and are also used to treat asthma, jaundice, stomach aches and skin conditions. The roots, bark and leaves are said to have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

In some parts of India the hard, dried shells of the fruit are stuffed with gunpowder to make traditional explosives firecrackers during the local Hingot festival.

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