Sirunagapoo is Ceylon ironwood, nagakesar in Hindi, a slow-growing evergreen tree with some of the hardest, heaviest timber in Asia. It is the national tree of Sri Lanka, the state tree of Mizoram and the state flower of Tripura. Its flushes of new leaves hang blood-red, and its white, golden-centred flowers are fragrant. The dried stamens and buds, sold as nagakesar, are an Ayurvedic ingredient that is often adulterated.
- Botanical name
- Mesua ferrea L.
- Family
- Calophyllaceae
- Tamil
- Sirunagapoo
- Hindi
- Nagakesar
- Sanskrit
- Nāgakeśara
- Parts used
- Flower, Stamen in lists
- Habit
- Slow-growing ironwood tree with fragrant white flowers
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Sirunagapoo
It is a medium to tall evergreen tree with a dense, conical crown.
The leaves are narrow, leathery and pointed, dark green above and waxy grey-white beneath.
New leaves emerge in drooping red to pink tassels before turning green.
The flowers are large and white, with four petals around a thick bunch of golden-yellow stamens, and are strongly fragrant.
The fruit is a hard, woody, egg-shaped capsule with one to four oily seeds.
Traditional use of Sirunagapoo
Ayurveda
Nagakesara, the dried stamens, is used in Ayurvedic formulas for bleeding piles and digestive complaints.
Ayurvedic practice
Ritual
It is planted at Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, and the flowers are offered in worship.
Sri Lankan Buddhist practice
Timber
The heavy, very hard wood was used for railway sleepers, bridges and tool handles.
Indian forestry practice
Modern notes on Sirunagapoo
The wood is dense enough to sink in water, which gives the tree its English name.
Seed oil was burned in lamps and studied as a biodiesel feedstock.
Market nagakesar is frequently substituted with flower buds of other trees, such as Cinnamomum species.
Studies of the flower extracts are mainly laboratory work.
Sirunagapoo safety
Buy nagakesar from a supplier who checks identity, because substitution is common. Use it only under a trained practitioner and avoid it in pregnancy.
Ecology and sourcing
It grows wild in the evergreen forests of the Eastern Himalaya, north-east India, the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
Bees visit the fragrant flowers for pollen.
It grows very slowly, so felled trees take decades to replace.
Related plants
Questions about Sirunagapoo
Why is Sirunagapoo called ironwood?
Its wood is extremely hard and heavy.
What is nagakesar?
The dried stamens or buds used in Ayurveda.
Why are the Sirunagapoo’s young leaves red?
New leaves flush red before they mature.
Is Sirunagapoo a national tree?
Yes, of Sri Lanka.
Is market nagakesar always genuine?
No. Substitutes are common.
Sources
- Mesua ferrea L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q2001737 (Mesua ferrea)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.