Woodfordia fruticosa aka Shiranji Tea

Woodfordia fruticosa is also known as fire-flame bush. It belongs to the plant family Lythraceae. Its native range covers tropical and subtropical parts of Asia. It also grows wild in eastern Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Comoros. This woody shrub grows in places with a dry season. It lives on sunny, disturbed ground and old farm sites. Useful Tropical Plants cites a 2011 IUCN review. That review lists the plant as Least Concern.

This shrub keeps its leaves all year. It has many long branches that spread out. Garden plants reach about 16 feet (5 metres) tall and wide. One account gives a top height of 23 feet (7 metres). The plant grows at a medium pace. Its red-brown bark peels off in thin strips. Dark gland marks dot the young shoots and leaves. The leaves are simple, with no separate leaflets. They have white hairs and grow in opposite pairs or threes.

The flowers are red-orange and grow in groups. These groups form on short shoots beside the leaves. Each group can hold up to 17 flowers. The dry fruits are capsules with an uneven shape. They hold many tiny, smooth, brown seeds. Gardeners grow this shrub for its blooms and spreading shape. Seeds can sprout freely on open ground that drains well. Young plants can be harder to raise in nursery beds. Growers also raise new plants from softwood cuttings.

Give the shrub full sun and soil that drains well. It grows in sand, loam, or clay, even poor soil. It suits soil from slightly acid to slightly alkaline. It prefers moist ground. Sources say it stands strong winds, but not coastal exposure. PFAF lists USDA zones 10–12 and reports some frost tolerance. The shrub grows back well when cut back. Shoots grown from cut stumps are called coppice shoots. At five years, these averaged about 10 feet (3 metres) tall.

This shrub helps hold soil on slips and abandoned land. It can curb grass growth and shelter young trees, including sal. It fades as tree cover grows and shade blocks seed growth. People harvest tannins, dyes, gum, and fuel from it. In folk medicine, people use the flowers as an astringent. Records also note use for dysentery and heavy menstrual bleeding. These reports do not prove that treatment is safe or works. Food records mention flowers in meals and drinks. Yet sources warn that these records may mean leaves. Both main plant references list no known hazards. The supplied evidence gives no details on pests or diseases.