In the Hindu tradition, the bilva tree is believed to be sacred. It is also thought to have medicinal properties, so it should come as no surprise that many would like to have a bilva tree at their home.
Bilva is a slow growing tree and reaches a medium height eventually making the size one factor to consider.
What to Expect? If you have been wanting to find out how to grow bilva tree at home then you’re in the right place. Our ultimate guide tells you everything you need to know.
What Is The Bilva Tree?
The bilva tree, scientifically referred to as aegi marmelos, is part of the Rutaceae family.
More popularly it is referred to as the bael tree but it is much more similar to a thorny deciduous plant.
These trees can grow to quite impressive heights and can reach over 30 to 40 feet.
The shape of the bilva tree branches have a very distinctive shape in appearance.
Not only are they sparse but their placement is irregular and crooked.
Additionally, the branches of the bilva tree tend to alternate between long, drooping branchlets and more mature branches.
The bilva tree is native to India and other areas in South East Asia such as:
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
These trees do yield fruit, and highly fragrant green/white flowers
The fruit is pear-shaped, even larger than a grapefruit, with a rough shell and yellow, grayish, or greenish skin.
The bilva tree is not only a native of India, but it is also designated a special meaning in India.
However, we will discuss later what is the real significance of this tree.
If you are planning on planting a bilva tree at home, just be aware that you will need a bit of space.
Don’t forget – as noted before, these plants will get big, but thankfully they grow so slowly, you’ll have time to find a place!
Why Are Bilva Trees So Important?
In India, the name for bilva trees is almost always bael.
Although there are plenty of other names that we will list further in this guide.
The trees are especially sacred to the Hindu community that with makes up the greatest population of the country with over 79% of Indians currently practise.
The alternate leaves and the trifolate of the tree are worshiped to the Hindu God, Shiva and are mentioned many times in ancient Hindu religious texts.
People will offer the leaves in reverence and it is believed that the bilva tree even had a spiritual origin.
It has been said that the tree was formed from droplets of sweat from the Goddess Parvati.
That in itself is a good enough reason for many people to give spiritual significance to the tree.
The trifurcated leaves are said to represent three of the most sacred Hindu Gods; Vishnu, Brahma and Mahesh.
Even if you are not Hindu, the bilva tree may have special significance for you because this tree is also used for its medicinal properties.
Nearly every part of the bilva tree is useful in healing, including the bark, the roots, and of course the leaves.
That said, most would agree the fruit is the most powerful in terms of healing properties.
Consuming the Fruit
In Ayurvedic tradition, it is believed that consuming unripe bael fruit will cure health issues from Kapha and Vata.
Additionally, the fruit has a very bitter flavor and Ayurvedic practitioners suggest that consuming unripe fruit will increase Pitta and help treat digestive issues such as ulcerative colitis and chronic diarrhea.
Some will slice the fruit and dry it so that they create a powder that is thought to help with dysentery.
It is always wise to consult your doctor before trying alternative medicine.
The bilva fruit when ripe has a very sweet flavor that is said to improve appetite.
Furthermore, these fruits are wonderful anti-inflammatories and can soothe on common complaints such as nausea and vomiting and digestive pain.
As previously stated – all parts of the bilva tree can be harvested for their medicinal properties and the outer bark is especially known to decrease rheumatoid arthritis issues – and help heal common cold symptoms.
So How does this work?
Well, the bilva tree has the following:
- coumarins
- flavonoids
- tannins
All of these compounds are anti-inflammatories, and some maybe helpful in reducing blood sugars.
Alternative Names For The Bilva Tree
Before we explore the best way to take care of a bilva tree, it’s worth knowing that this tree has many names.
As you learn about bilva and its history, it’s worth being aware that you may see keep seeing reckoned as bilva.
- Bak tuum
- Ma pin
- Beel
- Kawista
- Bel
- Chilongpak
- Belpatri
- Maredoo
- Bila
- Vilvam
- Soh bel
- Mak tuum
- Beltei
- Indian bael
- Bil
- Sirphal
- Bilak
- Majo ingus
- Bili
- Tum
- Yod maak tuum
- Golden apple
- Bilpatre
- Maja batu
- Bnau
- Maredu
- Indian quince
- Toum
- Vilva marum
Choosing How To Grow Bilva Tree
There are two primary ways to cultivate a bilva tree; you can start from seed, or you can buy a sapling from a nursery.
If you want a tree that produces fruit more rapidly than from seed, you can buy saplings. The ideal time to transplant saplings is in the summer, specifically between July and August.
If you would like to take on more of a challenge, you can try growing the bilva tree from seed.
To start with, you will need to obtain a good piece of fruit from an established bilva tree. You will extract the seeds from the fruit, removing all pulp. They should be dried fully beforehand.
When you are ready to sow the seeds, dig a hole that is around 2 inches in the soil to reserve space for the seed. The best time to sow the seeds is from May until July.
Do be reminded to cover the soil with mulch, preferably leaves that will assist in locking in moisture.
Finally, do remember to regularly add water. If you follow the steps outlined, your seeds will produce shoots in approximately 10 to 12 days.
What Conditions Do Bilva Trees Need?
When it comes to growing any kind of plants, it is important to think about the positioning of your bilva trees.
Bilva trees love plenty of direct sunlight and prefer a hotter climate. This is because they are native to to subtropical areas.
This also means that the bilva tree likes to have good humidity.
If you are growing bilva trees in a cold climate, be aware that they will not do well over a cold winter and you will need some sort of protection like a greenhouse or horticultural fleece.
It is also important to think about the soil.
Bilva trees do well in a wide variety of soils but if you want your trees to grow strongly choose a very loamy soil.
You will also want to make sure that the soil is well draining, with a pH between five and eight to provide a good harvest.
How To Water A Bilva Tree
Once the bilva tree is established one of its many great features is its ability to tolerate drought well.
Regardless of this, you should still have a good watering schedule in place. Indeed, if you want the tree to be productive, you will want to make frequent trips to the watering can.
This style of watering not only helps keep the tree healthier, it also will ensure that you receive a bigger fruit yield.
When it is hot in the summer it is not unusual to water the tree every day while in winter, as temperatures drop, watering the tree twice a week is all that is required.
How To Fertilize A Bilva Tree
In addition to making water available to your bilva tree, you want to ensure it is well fed.
We wouldn’t generally suggest you use a chemical fertiliser, as bilva trees do very well working with organic materials.
Things like manure or vermicompost tend to work especially well.
Fruit From The Bilva Tree
The bilva tree, when it is grown in India, will generally begin to flower in spring and its prime flowering months are April and May.
The fruit will follow after, but be prepared to wait around six to eight years for fruiting (if you want). So…the bilva tree may not be for you if you’re not very patient!
After this, it is then suggested to wait until the second year before harvesting for fruiting.
Be aware of dropping fruit! You’ll be able to tell when the fruit is ripe by its yellowish colour.
Should I Prune My Bilva Tree?
The bilva tree can become quite large, which causes many people to want to prune the tree for size control.
This is fine as long as you never cut the main stem shorter than one to two meters.
You do not have to do much pruning to the bael tree, other than to remove weak, broken or dead branches as you see them.
The best time to prune the tree is when you have harvested the fruit, however only if necessary. Just try to maintain the tree’s shape and it will continue to produce healthy growth.
Are There Any Problems I Should Know About Growing Bilva Trees?
The bilva tree, a robust plant, thrives in subtropical zones by the coast and moderately tropical regions.
However, it demonstrates extreme tolerance to religious varying factors – particularly temperature.
In addition, they can grow at high elevations thriving around 4000 feet – or 1200 meters – sea level.
Bilva trees will also tolerate a range of soil conditions, however, we would always recommend giving it the best chance while considering the soil tips above.
However, one of the more interesting aspects of this tree is their ability to survive where other fruit trees may perish.
That said there are few things to be mindful of.
First, it can fall victim to pests, most commonly the aphid.
Chemical treatments exist, however, there are some more ‘natural’ options available.
For example – introducing ladybirds or lacewings into your garden or using neem oil work well. Again, bilva trees have a ridiculously slow growth rate.
You may not even get fruit until the tree is at least six years old, and at that stage you are lucky as many can take longer.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the best full fruiting ability occurs when the tree is around 15 years old if not adjusted for any pest or animal interference – it is a wait!
However, once they begin to bear full fruit, you can expect a few hundred fruits in a season! It’s not unheard of for a really healthy tree to produce 800 fruits in a season!
A Note On Pregnancy And Bilva Leaves
We have discussed everything you need to know about growing a bilva tree in your own home.
However, there is one thing growers need to be aware of if they want to reap the medicinal benefits of this tree.
Pregnant women should be careful with using bilva leaves for discomfort or nausea, or any pregnancy-related symptoms.
There have been plenty of stories suggesting that the bael tree could lead to miscarriages while pregnant.
It has been suggested that this is because of the high tannin content contained in the fruit.
Even with the low risk associated with eating it in normal moderation, eat too much bael mashed, cooked, or raw, and you have a risk of miscarrying if you continue to eat large portions over a long time.
Additionally, if you eat too much bael fruit, experience digestive problems can also be worsened.
For this reason, we better forget using bael trees during pregnancy and pursue another option.
If you do wish to use it and if you are pregnant, the most we suggest is to check with your doctor.
Conclusion
The bilva tree has an extraordinary significance to many Hindus in India.
Not only does the tree have a religious significance but it is also well known for its various medicinal benefits as well.
Bilva trees are relatively easy to care for and are quite hardy, although they will require some time to mature to a proper size.
