Prosopis cineraria - Khejri Tree

Khejri Tree is a small moderate sized evergreen thorny tree, with slender branches armed with conical thorns and with light bluish-green foliage. Leaves are double compound. The leaflets are dark green, and have a tiny point. The tree is evergreen or nearly so. It produces new flush leaves before summer. The flowers are small in size and yellow or creamy white in colour, appear from March to May after the new flush of leaves. The pods are formed soon thereafter and grow rapidly in size attaining full size in about two months time. Historically Khejri Tree has played a significant role in the rural economy in the northwest arid region of Indian sub-continent. This tree is a legume and it improves soil fertility. It is an important constituent of the vegetation system. It is well adapted to the arid conditions and stands well to the adverse vagaries of climate and browsing by animals. Camels and goats readily browse it. In areas open to goat browsing, the young plants assume cauliflower shaped bushy appearance.