sal

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sal

tree

Also known as: Shorea robusta

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July 13, 2026

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The term "sal" primarily refers to a genus of tall, South Asian evergreen trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae, known for their valuable timber. The most notable species is Shorea robusta, often called the sal tree, which is a significant timber source in the Indian subcontinent, second only to teak.1

These trees are also important for the cultivation of lac scale insects, which produce the resin used in shellac. Some Shorea species yield resins like dammar, used in varnishes and incense, while others produce nuts with fat suitable as a cocoa butter substitute.1

It's important to distinguish this from other trees sometimes referred to as "salt tree" or "salai tree," which are different species with distinct characteristics and uses.23

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Hazaribag Wildlife Sanctuary
Flora and fauna
…by a dense forest of sal (Shorea robusta) that provides habitat for sloth bears, black bears, several varieties of deer, wild pigs, hyenas, and many species of birds, including peafowl, red jungle fowl, and green pigeons. By the end of the 20th century, hunting and poaching had wiped out the
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…by a dense forest of sal (Shorea robusta) that provides habitat for sloth bears, black bears, several varieties of deer, wild pigs, hyenas, and many species of birds, including peafowl, red jungle fowl, and green pigeons. By the end of the 20th century, hunting and poaching had wiped out the
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Himalayas
Plant life
…where the valuable timber tree sal (Shorea robusta) is the dominant species. Wet sal forests thrive on high plateaus at elevations of about 3,000 feet (900 meters), while dry sal forests prevail higher up, at 4,500 feet (1,400 meters). Farther west, steppe forest (i.e., expanse of grassland dotted with trees),…
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…where the valuable timber tree sal (Shorea robusta) is the dominant species. Wet sal forests thrive on high plateaus at elevations of about 3,000 feet (900 meters), while dry sal forests prevail higher up, at 4,500 feet (1,400 meters). Farther west, steppe forest (i.e., expanse of grassland dotted with trees),…
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India
Vegetation
Sal is confined to the lower Himalayas, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. Other species with commercial uses are sandalwood (Santalum album), the fragrant wood that is perhaps the most precious in the world, and rosewood, an evergreen used for carving and…
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Sal is confined to the lower Himalayas, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. Other species with commercial uses are sandalwood (Santalum album), the fragrant wood that is perhaps the most precious in the world, and rosewood, an evergreen used for carving and…
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Nepal
Plant life
…dark brown durable timber; and sal (Shorea robusta), an East Indian timber tree with foliage providing food for lac insects (which deposit lac, a resinous substance used for the manufacture of shellac and varnishes, on the tree’s twigs). On the Mahābhārat Range, at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, vegetation…
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…dark brown durable timber; and sal (Shorea robusta), an East Indian timber tree with foliage providing food for lac insects (which deposit lac, a resinous substance used for the manufacture of shellac and varnishes, on the tree’s twigs). On the Mahābhārat Range, at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, vegetation…
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Shorea
Sal (Shorea robusta) is perhaps the second most important timber tree (after teak) in the Indian subcontinent. The timbers are of two main types, white and red meranti. Sal and S. talura are also grown for the culture of lac scale insects that produce the…
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Sal (Shorea robusta) is perhaps the second most important timber tree (after teak) in the Indian subcontinent. The timbers are of two main types, white and red meranti. Sal and S. talura are also grown for the culture of lac scale insects that produce the…
Read More