A tropical tree (Acacia nilotica) native to Africa and Asia, valued for its wood, bark, and tannins.
From Arabic بابول (bābūl) or Hindi बबूल (babūl), ultimately from Sanskrit. The tree has been used medicinally and industrially for thousands of years.
The babul tree is a perfect example of how one plant could dominate an entire industry—its bark became essential for tanning leather, so colonial powers actually planted whole babul forests to feed their leather manufacturing, reshaping African and Asian landscapes!
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