also: しゃらそうじゅ
sal tree; Shorea robusta
Refers to the sal tree native to the Indian subcontinent. In Japanese, it is often encountered in Buddhist contexts, as the tree under which the Buddha is said to have passed away.
The sal tree is considered an important tree in Buddhism.
Japanese stewartia; Stewartia pseudocamellia
In Japan, the name 沙羅双樹 is often applied to the native Japanese stewartia (also called 夏椿), which has similar-looking flowers. This usage is common in gardening and literature.
See also: 夏椿
I planted a Japanese stewartia in the garden.
The Japanese stewartia is more commonly called 夏椿 (summer camellia) in everyday contexts. 沙羅双樹 is a more literary or Buddhist-associated name for the same tree.
Standard kanji spelling. The reading さらそうじゅ is the most common.
Alternate kanji form using 娑 instead of 沙. Often read as しゃらそうじゅ.
Katakana spelling, used especially in botanical contexts or when emphasizing the foreign origin.
From the Sanskrit 'śāla' via Chinese. The kanji 沙羅双樹 is a phonetic rendering (ateji) of the original name. The application to the Japanese stewartia is a later extension based on floral resemblance.