Botanical Name: Nyctanthes- Arbor

Nyctanthes- Arbor-tristis Linn, commonly known as the Night flowering sad tree (harsingar). Its Flowers are rich in yellow colouring matter,easily soluble in water.  The corolla tubes are orange-colored tubes found inside the flower and when severed from the hand give a beautiful fleeting orange or golden dye. The bright orange corolla tubes of the flower contain a saffron-yellow coloring matter called Nyctanthin, which is identical with crocetin from saffron.

In Himalayan areas, the dye is also used for dyeing cotton cloth and as a cheap substitute for saffron in coloring the robes of Buddhist priests! Arbor is rich in yellow coloring matter, which is readily soluble in water. It is also used for coloring different kind of fabrics (cotton, silk, wool etc) and for imparting color to liquor.