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Hello, I am Bakul
Some of the other names I go by are: Bullet-wood tree, Spanish cherry, and Maulsari/Maulashree (in North India).
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I was named ‘bullet-wood’ as a tribute to my exceptionally hard, dense timber. Early British foresters and engineers in India noticed that the timber was so tough that it could blunt tools and resist damage better than most native woods, sometimes even withstanding the impact of musket balls!
Interestingly, my North Indian name Maulsari, is a combination of two words: Mool + Shree. MÅ«l usually means something core/original/primary/basic and Shree is an old Sanskrit word meaning auspiciousness/divinity/grace, often attached as a reverence. So, the combined name MaulÅ›rÄ«, literally suggests a ‘tree of original grace or divinity’. This is because you will often see me in temple gardens, hermitages, royal avenues, and as part of classical literature in poetry & devotional contexts.
My Sanskrit name is Vakula, you will find it referenced in many a Sanskrit literature.
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My botanical name is Mimusops elengi.
The genus name Mimusops has a Greek roots:
mimos = imitator, mimic
opsis = appearance, look
Meaning “Mimic in appearance” or “resembling another”
Early botanists used Mimusops for trees whose flowers or overall form resemble those of other genera, hence it meant a tree that looks deceptively familiar.
elengi comes from Indian vernacular names for me. These names were already in use in India long before formal botanical classification, and the local name was essentially preserved in Latinized form.
My Story
I am a medium-sized evergreen tree found in tropical forests in South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. I typically grow 10–15 m tall. I have a dense, rounded canopy, and make for an excellent shade tree. Here’s how you can recognize me:
Leaves: Dark green, glossy, leathery, elliptic to oblong, arranged alternately. The shine of the foliage is one of the tree’s most ornamental features.
Bark: Grey to dark brown, rough with age.
Flowers: Small, creamy white, star-shaped with narrow petals; extremely fragrant, especially in the evening and night.
Fruit: Oval to ellipsoid berry, green when unripe, turning yellowish-orange when ripe; contains 1–2 seeds.
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Because of my hardness, my wood was also used for:
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Cart axles and wheel hubs
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Tool handles
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Pestles, mortars, and mallets
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Structural members requiring durability
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My flowers are legendary in Indian tradition and literature, they:
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Bloom sporadically through the year, often peaking in warmer months.
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Emit a sweet, lingering fragrance that intensifies after sunset.
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Traditionally collected after they fall naturally, rather than plucked.
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The scent is subtle, refined, and long-lasting — often described as cooling and calming.
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My extracts are proven to be useful in treating bleeding gums, protecting your teeth and curing oral ulcers. This helps you fight tooth decay and toothache for prolonged periods. Many people suffering from bad mouth odour also benefit from bakul tree uses.
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In fact there is one Indian consumer products company that has built its business on my back … or should I say trunk. Can you guess which one?
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(Answer: The ayurvedic fmcg company ‘Vicco’, check out their products that contain me here --- https://viccolabs.com/pages/ayurveda-indian-medler)
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Chewing Bakul twigs was once a common natural toothbrush practice in parts of India.
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Shall we get ‘Close-up’? After all, I am like a breath of fresh air!
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