Golden Champaca

Botanical Profile

  • Scientific Name: Magnolia champaca
  • Common Names: Golden Champaca, Champaca, Champak
  • Family: Magnoliaceae
  • Origin: South and Southeast Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines)
  • Type: Evergreen tree

Morphology

  • Height: 30–50 m (sometimes up to 60 m in native habitat)
  • Trunk: Straight, cylindrical; bark gray-brown, smooth in young trees, becoming fissured with age
  • Leaves: Alternate, simple, leathery, oblong to lanceolate; 10–20 cm long
  • Flowers: Highly fragrant, star-shaped, yellow to orange-yellow; bloom year-round in tropical climates
  • Fruit: Aggregate of follicles, 6–12 cm long; seeds red and fleshy

Ecological & Agroforestry Notes

  • Soil: Well-drained, fertile loams; tolerates clay and sandy soils
  • pH Range: 5.5–7.5
  • Climate: Tropical; prefers high humidity and rainfall of 1500–2500 mm annually
  • Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
  • Altitude: Sea level up to 1200 m

Uses

  1. Ornamental & Fragrance
    • Flowers used in perfumery, incense, and essential oil production
    • Popular in religious and cultural ceremonies in South and Southeast Asia
  2. Timber
    • Durable, fine-grained, used for furniture, carvings, and construction
  3. Agroforestry / Companion Planting
    • Can be intercropped with shade-tolerant species
    • Enhances biodiversity in plantation systems
  4. Medicinal & Aromatic
    • Flowers and bark used traditionally for sedatives, anti-inflammatory, and aromatic therapy

Propagation & Cultivation

  • Propagation: Seeds (fresh, pre-soaked) or air-layering; tissue culture possible for elite clones
  • Germination: 2–3 weeks for fresh seeds; slow if seeds dried
  • Planting Distance: 8–10 m spacing for timber; closer for ornamental or agroforestry use
  • Maintenance: Requires watering during dry season for young trees; minimal pruning

Integration with Agarwood or Other High-Value Crops

  • Can serve as a permanent or companion tree in mixed agroforestry systems
  • Its dense canopy provides shade for shade-loving crops like sandalwood or young agarwood
  • Fragrant flowers add high-value secondary products (essential oils, floral exports)

Harvest & Yield

  • Flowers: Continuous harvesting possible; peak during dry season
  • Timber: Mature harvest 30–50 years, depending on site conditions
  • Essential Oil: Flowers can yield ~0.5–1% oil via steam distillation; high market value