Common Name: Bhekal

General Information

Prinsepia utilis is a very spiny, densely-branched, deciduous shrub of exceedingly vigorous habit; it usually grows up to 1.50 metres tall, though specimens up to 5 metres tall and 6 metres or more wide are known[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Himalayan regions of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Myanmar and China.

Habitat

Forest, scrub and hedges, at elevations from 1,200 - 2,700 metres[]. Usually found in sunny open places on dry hillsides near any spring or water-course[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prinsepia utilis is a moderately cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[]. Down to -15°c in another report[].
Succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun or light shade[]. Requires a light not too fertile soil[]. Established plants are drought-tolerant[].
The plants produce flowers and fruits better when they are growing in full sun[]. Flowers are produced on the previous seasons wood[] and can be produced in the autumn as well as the spring. The flowers are produced on the current year's wood according to other reports[, ]. Autumn flowers can produce ripe fruit in the following spring. Unfortunately, the plants only produce fruit in Britain after long hot summers[].
The creamy-white flowers are fragrant[].
Yields of around 1 - 2 kilos of fruit per plant per year are obtained from wild plants[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. Liked by children[]. Sloe-like[], it has rather an astringent flavour[]. The purple, cylindrical fruit is up to 17mm long and contains a single large seed[, ].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[, , , , ]. It is used in cooking[, ]. The oil contains palmitic acid 15.2%; linoleic acid 43.6%; and oleic acid 32.6%;. It is said to be comparable to olive oil (Olea europaea)[].

Medicinal

An oil from the seed is rubefacient[]. It is applied externally as a treatment for rheumatism and muscular pain caused by hard work[]. It is used to treat skin diseases, headaches, burns, cuts and wounds[]. The oil is also applied to the forehead and temples in the treatment of coughs and colds[].

The heated oilcake is applied as a poultice to the abdomen in the treatment of stomach aches[]. A paste of this seedcake is used as a poultice to treat ringworm or eczema[].

The fruit is used in Chinese medicine[]. We have no more details.

In trials, the leaves have been shown to possess marked protective effects against osteoporosis, improving bone quality, attenuating bone resorption, enhancing the rate of bone formation and restoring bone density[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Within its native habitat Prinsepia utilis is often found as a colonizer of degraded lands, making a potentially good pioneer species for use in restoring native woodlands and establishing woodland gardens.
Plants are grown as a hedge in the Himalayas[, , ].
The plant is traditionally grown in living fences in the northwestern Himalayas, where it helps to exclude livestock and other animals; mark out land boundaries; whilst also providing a range of medicinal and other uses[].
Plants have an extensive root system and are used for binding the soil[].

Other Uses

The seed contains 21% of a fatty oil[]. As well as being edible, it can also be used for lighting[, , , ].

The oilcake is used as a soap substitute for washing clothes[, ].

A deep purple colour btained from the fruits is used for painting windows and walls[].

Wood - very hard, compact, very liable to split[]. It is termite-resistant and disease-free. The wood is used locally to make handles, musical instruments, toys etc[].
The wood is used locally for fuel but is of poor quality, burning quickly and not sustaining heat[].

Propagation

Seed - best if given 2 months cold stratification[]. Sow the seed in autumn if possible, otherwise in late winter or early spring in a cold frame in light shade. Germination may be inhibited by light[]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].