Bael tree

Aegle marmelos is a thorny, small-sized and decideous tree growing up to 10-12 m high.

The bark of Aegle marmelos is greyish-coloured, rough. It is longitudinally fissured.

The leaves of Aegle marmelos are fascicled on short protuberances.
The leaf is compound, 3-foliate. The leaf is 10-12 cm long and 5-8 cm wide with a 3 cm long petiole.
The leaflet of Aegle marmelos is ovate, the apex is acuminate, the base is rounded and the margins are slightly serrate.
The terminal leaflet are 7-8 cm long and 3.5-4 cm wide with a 0.8-1 cm long petiolule. The 2 lateral ones are subsessile, about 5 cm long and 2.5-3 cm wide.
The venation of the leaflets is reticulate with a prominent midrib.

The fruit of Aegle marmelos is a rounded, pyriform or oval berry. The fruit is 10-20 in diameter and woody. It is greenish-coloured turning yellow when fully ripe. The fruit contains 10-15 seeds.

The seeds of Aegle marmelos are hairy, oblong and whitish-coloured. The seeds are 0.8-1 cm across. They are embedded in a fibrous and orange pulp. There are 10-15 seeds per fruit.

The leaves and twigs of Aegle marmelos are lopped for fodder.

The wood of Aegle marmelos is hard and takes a good polish. It is used for house building, carving, agricultural implements or tool handles...

A yellow dye is obtained from the rind of the unripe fruit. It is used in calico printing.

An essential oil is extracted from the rind.

The gum makes a good adhesive.

The fruit pulp has detergent action and has been used for washing clothes.

Source :
- Dastur, 2006, Useful Plants of India and Pakistan
- Orwa C., Mutua A., Kindt R., Jamnadass R., Anthony S., 2009, Agroforestree Database: a tree reference and selection guide

Aegle marmelos fruit pulp is edible.
The pulp mixed with milk and sugar makes a popular drink in India.