Rudraksha, also known as Elaeocarpus ganitrus is a seed traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism. The seed is produced by several species of large evergreen broad-leaved tree in the genus Elaeocarpus, with Elaeocarpus ganitrus being the principal species used in the making of organic jewelry or mala. It is grown in the foothills of the Himalayas to Southeast Asia, Nepal, Indonesia, New Guinea to Australia, Guam, and Hawaii. The Rudraksha tree starts bearing fruit in three to four years from germination. As the tree matures, the roots form buttresses, rising up near the trunk and radiating out along the surface of the ground. Rudraksha seeds are covered by an outer husk of blue when fully ripe, and for this reason are also known as blueberry beads. Ripe fruit is fleshy and has a seed with blue shell. Inner part or bead lying in the seed is called Rudraksha. Rudraksha, being organic, is preferably worn in ways that do not involve metal; thus on a cord or thong rather than a chain.
| Name | Rudraksha |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Elaeocarpus ganitrus |
| Native | North-East India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Manila, Myanmar |
| Common/English Name | Genitri, Shivaksh, Neelkantaksh, Shivbindu, Shivpriya, Paavan, Sarvaksh, Haraksh or Bhutanashan. |
| Name in Other Languages | Australia: Quandong English: Blue marbletree English: Blue quandong English: Blueberry-ash English: Blue-fig English: Brisbane quandong English: brush quandong English Indian oilfruit English New Guinea-quandong English silver quandong English: white quandong English: wooden beggar-bead India: Rudraksh Sanskrit: Chattu sampangi, Rudraksha, Bhutnasan Hindi: Rudraki, Rudraksha English: Utrasum Bead Tree , Wooden Begger bead Gujarati: Rudraksh Bengali: Rudrakya Kannada: Rudrakshi mara, Rudraksh Malayalam: Rudraksha, Rudraksam Marathi: Rudraksha Punjabi: Rudraksha Tamil: Rudraksha, Ruttiratcam Telgu: Rudraksha, Rudraksi Assam: Rudrai, Ludrok, Udrok Other: Sivaksha, Sarwaksh, Paawan, Nilkanthaksha, Haraksha, Sivpriye |
| Plant Growth Habit | Large perennial, evergreen broad-leaved tree |
| Growing Climate | Basically grown in subtropical climatic region |
| Plant Size | Almost 50ft to 200ft in height |
| Stem | Cylindrical with coarse textured dirty white bark |
| Bark | Bark is grayish white and rough in texture with small vertical lenticels and narrow horizontal furrows. |
| Leaf | Simple, glabrous, oblong-lanceolate, sub-entire or irregularly crenate, acute or acuminate, Pyramidal shape, shining green on the upper side with a dull leathery on the dorsal side |
| Flower | White or yellow colored, in dense racemes and mostly from axils of fallen leaves, fringed petals, anthers are linear, appear in April-may |
| Flowering Season | April-May |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Drupaceous fruit resembling olive. Globular in shape, 1cm. in diameter, |
| Fruit Color | Deep blue or mealy when ripe |
| Seed Shape & Size | Round & near-round, Symmetrical- oval, nut or cashew |
| Seed Color | Medium brown to almost dark-chocolate colors |
| Taste | Sweet in taste |
| Season | June-October |
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