Trees often do not grow properly when planted in areas with impervious surfaces due to lack of water and air. Providing more space around the tree should reduce these problems.
The following trees are commonly seen in India:
1. Aloe Vera:
Aloe Vera grows to a height of 12 to 16 inches. It has a fibrous root system. It does not have stems. It has thick fresh leaves with sharp points, which are up to 18 inches long and 2 inches wide at the base. Its leaves are even long and triangular in shape. The tissue in the center of the Aloe leaf contains a gel, which yields the aloe gel. Its leaves are rich in water to survive for years.
These leaves have spiky margins and are blotched creams. It is .the member of the Lilly family. The roots of the plant are thick and fibrous. The fruit is the triangular capsule containing numerous seeds. Aloe Vera is cultivated throughout India. It mainly grows in the tropical and sub-tropical areas. It grows well on sandy and well-drained soil. Aloe Vera plant is spread through the seed. It prefers a well-drained sandy soil in sunny location.
Aloe Vera needs the temperature of above 40° degrees. They should be potted in the spring season and watered carefully. It grows in the arid climate. They should be watered regularly in the summers, but over watering can kill the plant. It also grows in partial shade. It reaches the maturity in four years when the leaves are harvested.
Aloe Vera is a very popular potted plant. It is grown in houses for the decoration. The leaf sap is used to make a soothing and healing moisturizing cream, which is good for the dry skin. It is used in the making of anti-wrinkle cream. It is even used in the preparation of shampoos.
2. Amla:
Amla is the medium size deciduous plant. It grows to the height of 8-18 meters. It has a crooked trunk and spreading branches. Its flower is yellow greenish in color. The fruit is spherical pale yellow with six vertical lines. The mature fruits are hard and do not fall for the gentle touch. The average weight of the fruit is 60 -70 gms.
It has a grey bark and reddish wood. Its leaves are feathery, linear oblong in shape and smell like lemon. Its wood is hard in texture. It wraps and splits when exposed in the Sun or in the excessive heat. It is planted in tropical India and on the hill slopes up to 2000 meter. Amla can grow in light and heavy soils. It is grown under the tropical conditions. The young plants are protected from the hot winds as they die easily.
Amla is generally spread through seeds. It requires proper sunlight. It is irrigated during the monsoon season. It starts bearing fruits in seven years from the day of planting. It is the main ingredient used in the shampoo. Amla is used in sauces, candy, dried chips, pickle, jellies and powder. It is even used in the dyeing industry. Its extract is popularly used in the ink. Amla wood is commonly used in firework.
3. Arjuna Tree:
Arjuna is a large size deciduous tree. The height of the Arjuna tree reaches up to 60-85 feet. It is an evergreen tree with the yellow flowers and conical leaves. It has a smooth grey bark. Its fruit is 2.5 -3.5 cm long, fibrous woody, glabrous with 5 hard wings, striated with numerous curved veins. It has a buttressed trunk and a vast spreading crown from which the branches drop downwards. Its leaves are dull green above and pale brown beloco. Arjuna flowers between March to June and fruits between September to November.
Terminalia Arjuna is common throughout India. Its fruit is dried in the sunlight and then stored up to 6- 12 months. Seeds are pre-treated by soaking in the water for 48 hours before sowing in beds. Seedlings 8-9 months are better to transplant in the field. Its wood is used in boat and house building because it is very hard. Its wood is also used in the making of the agricultural implements and weapons. It is grown in the cities and towns for the purpose of shade.
4. Ashwagandha:
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows up to the height of 0.5 m to 1.5 m. It is covered by the leaves all-round the year. The flowers are hermaphrodite (they have both the male and the female organs) and are greenish yellow in color. Its fruit and berries are orange-red in colour. Its roots are whitish brown in color.
Aswagandha is a small woody shrub and flowers throughout the year. Ashwagandha is grown in all parts of India. It is found in the woodland garden, cultivated beds and dappled shade. Ripe red fruits of the plant are dried in the warm and well-ventilated space. After some days the berries are separated, washed and dried up properly.
Its seed can be shown in the early spring. They get germinated within two weeks in light sandy, medium loamy and well-drained soil. It grows more in the sunlight than in the shade. Ashwagandha is used as the substitute of the soaps. The leaves are an insect repellent. Aswagandha mixed with the almond oil and rose water is used as the facial toner.
5. Banyan Tree:
Banyan tree is a huge tree with very extensive branches. It is an evergreen tree. Its branches spread out and send trunk like roots to the ground to support itself. It grows to a height of more than 21 meters and lives for many years. The leaves are 10-20 cm long with many aerial roots. The leaves are broad, oval and glossy.
It can grow into a giant tree covering several hectares. It is found in almost all the parts of India. In India its edible leaves are used as the plates. It is planted for the soil conservation. Wood is used for well curbs, door panels, boxes, furniture etc. It is suitable for paper pulp. The wood of the aerial roots is stronger and is used for the tent poles and cart yokes.
6. Brahmi:
Brahmi is the small creeping herb with numerous branches. It grows to a height of 2-3 feet and its branches are 10-35 cm long. It has oval shaped leaves that are 1-2 cm long and 3-8 mm wide. Leaves are formed in pairs along the stems. Small-tubular, five petal flowers are white- purple in color. Its stem is soft, juicy and hairy with the glands.
Roots emerge out of the nodules and directly go to the soil. The fruit is oval and sharp at apex. Brahmi is found in marshy areas near streams and ponds throughout India especially in the North eastern regions. It is found at elevations from sea level to altitudes of 4,400 feet. Brahmi is spread by seed, cuttings and also by the root division.
Before establishing the plant cutting, the field should be ploughed properly and made free of weeds. The cuttings should be 4-5 cm long containing roots and leaves. Hand weeding is required every 5-20 days. It grows faster in the high temperature (33-42 Degree Celsius) and humidity (65-80%). It prefers wet spots. It is grown in the pots in the house garden.
It can grow in both the sun and shade. It requires water from time to time because its roots are shallow. It also requires regular organic fertilizer for its growth. It gives flowers and fruit in the summer season. It requires moderate to high lightening to grow well. Brahmi is rich in Vitamin C and can be used in the salads, soups and sandwiches. Brahmi oil restores and preserves the memory.
7. Cork Tree:
It is a tall deciduous tree. It grows up to 25 meter. The leaves are innately compound. Flowers are long tubular, white and fragrant. The fruit is a capsule. It flowers at night and shed flowers early in the morning. It has corky bark. It has straight trunk and has few branches. Cork tree widely grows in the Central India. It is mostly found in the tropical forests. Cork tree can grow in variety of soils. It requires full sunlight for its growth. Its flowers are used in the rituals. Its bark is used to produce yellow dye.
8. Eucalyptus:
Eucalyptus is a tall evergreen tree. It attains the height of more than 300 feet. Leaves of the tree on young branches are opposite, sessile, cordate-ovate and covered with a bluish white bloom. The adult leaves are alternate and 6-12 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. Its flowers are cream in color.
The appearance of its bark varies with the age of the tree. Its bark consists of long fibers and can be pulled off in long pieces. Stems of the seedlings and wood branches are quadrangular. Flowers are in cymose panicles. The fruit is a capsule. It grows well in deep, fertile, well drained loamy soil with adequate moisture.
Eucalyptus grows in well-drained sandy soil. It is spread through seeds, soft wood cuttings and semi hard wood cuttings. It must be taken into account that its roots are not broken at the time of planting. It needs water before and after planting. It requires full sunlight. Eucalyptus is used as the pulpwood in the manufacture of the paper as well as raw material. It is used as the poles for the construction of huts and houses. It is used in making plywood, doors and windows.
9. Garden Asparagus:
Garden Asparagus grows to a height of 3 feet. It is an herbaceous perennial plant. It is well known for its edible young branches. It has fleshy roots and fern-like feathery foliage. Its roots grow 3 feet down in the soil. Young branches are green juicy and tender. It has smooth and green stems, which are 4-6 feet tall.
It has green slender branches, which appear more like the leaves than the branches. It produces male and female flowers on the separate plants. Flowers are greenish, bell shaped, which grows in the group of 1 to 3. Round bright red berries are produced on the female plants and each berry contains several black seeds.
Garden Asparagus is found especially in the Northern India. It is widely grown in the jungles. It is mainly grown in the gardens. It is mostly spread through seed, which are allowed to grow for a year. It is mostly planted in the spring season. The plant prefers acid, neutral, and alkaline soil. It grows in semi shade or no shade.
It is placed in the trench which is 12-18 inches wide and six inches deep. It requires water regularly when it is young. Young branches come out in early spring. There are so many vegetable recipes made out the Garden Asparagus. They are normally boiled or steamed. Its young branches are taken as the raw salad.
10. Indian Mahogany:
Indian Mahogany grows up to the height of 30 -40 feet. It is fast straight growing tree with a broad rounded symmetrical crown. It is 20 -30 feet in spread. The fruit is a large greenish brown capsule, splitting into 5 parts releasing flat, long winged, light brown seeds. Its wood is red brown in color.
Both the male and the female flowers are produced on the same plant. The bark is smooth dark brown in color. The leaves are pinnate which are 12 -25 cm long, with four to eight leaflets. Indian Mahogany is found in almost all the parts of India. Indian Mahogany is mostly spread through seeds. It requires partial shade or full Sun for its growth.
It needs water periodically. It loses its leaves at the end of the winter. The new leaves start growing after two or three weeks. The new leaves are reddish purple in color, which turn yellow green later. Its wood is used in making furniture, fixtures, musical instruments, inlay, boat, caskets and many more. Its wood is a very popular material for drum making.
11. Indian Rosewood:
Indian Rosewood is an erect deciduous tree. It grows to the height of 25 meter and 2-3 meter in diameter. It has leathery leaves, which are up to 15 cm long. The flowers are whitish pink in color. Its crown is oval in shape. The fruit is brown and pod like in shape. The fruit is dry and hard. The sapwood is white to pale brown in color and the heartwood is golden to dark brown in color.
Indian Rosewood mainly grows on the banks of the river below 900-meter elevation. Indian Rosewood is mostly propagated through the root suckers and seeds. It requires fertile well-drained soil. Seeds are soaked in water for 48 hours before sowing. Seeds are germinated in three weeks. Young Rosewood needs full sunlight. It requires dry to wet soil.
Young plants are well watered until established. Flowers occur from October to February. It is the important fuel wood and is also used for shade and shelter. Its wood is used for making furniture, doors, windows, ship floors, plywood, skis, musical instruments, carvings etc. Rosewood is often used in the martial art weaponry, particularly as the shaft of spears and in the gun staves because of durability. Its oil is used in Perfumes.
12. Indian Tulip:
Indian Tulip Tree attains the height of 40 feet or more. It is a very large tree. It has heart shaped leaves and the cup shaped flowers. It is a fast growing, evergreen tree. It is very bushy when it is young but thins out with the age. Each flower is white – yellow in color and has maroon eye that ages to purple.
The flower bloom year round and lasts for three days. The major branches of the tree grow straight, with the thick corrugated bark. Its fruit is the round capsule, which is about one inch across. Its seeds are greyish brown in color. Indian Tulip tree is found in deep, rich, well-drained soils of forest coves and lower mountain slopes.
Indian Tulip trees are easily spread through the seeds. It requires a deep rich soil for its cultivation. It must be taken care that the inner part of the seed is not destroyed. The seeds are germinated within 14-28 days. Tulip plant can also spread with the cuttings. It is also grown in the pots. It sheds its leaves in the month of February.
New leaves appear in the month of April and March. The fruits, flowers and young leaves are edible. The tough fibrous bark is made into rope in several areas. The bark is also used to caulk boat. Even the cork is made from the inner bark. The yellow dye is obtained from its fruits and flowers and the red one from the bark. Its parts are also used in the making of gum, oil and tannin. Its timber is also used to make the papers. Its wood is used to make bowls, paddles and other carved objects.
13. Khair Tree:
It is the moderate size deciduous tree. It has rough bark which is dark gray brown in color. It grows up to the height of 15 meter. The leave are 8 -10 cm long. It has short curved spines and rough grayish brown bark. The flowers are pale yellow in color. They start appearing in the month of June -August. Fruits ripen in January to March and remain in the tree for long. The young parts are dark brown to purple in color.
The tree has rough texture from outside. It grows throughout India. It is mainly spread through the stumps or seeds. The seeds are mostly sown in the month of June. It is planted on sandy and black cotton soil. The seeds germinate in the monsoons. Khair should be sown on mounds at least 61 to 76 cm in height so that the seedlings do not remain submerged in water for a long period.
Irrigation is necessary for the plant. Cuttings should be made from the well-developed seedlings. The root and branch should be 23-31 cm and 2.5 to 5.0 cm respectively. The wood extracts are used for tanning and dying Khaki. Its wood is used as the raw material in the raw industry. Its wood is used in ship building. The wood of Khair is used in making the plough and the pounding log for rice.
14. Kikar:
Kikar is the small thorny tree. It grows to the height of 7-12 meter. It has yellow round head flowers which are nectar less. The bark is red-brown to blackish and rough. The leaves are light green and fern like up to 120.mm long and 50 mm wide. Flowers are 10-15 mm in diameter, which grow in cluster between 4-6 and are sweetly scented.
It is mainly grown in the cold temperature. It can be grown in any type of soil. It requires water for seed germination. The bark and seeds are the source of tannin. The various parts of Kikar are useful in Diarrhoea. The leaves and the bark are useful in arresting secretion or bleeding. The gum-dispels any irritation of the skin and soothes the inflamed membranes. Fresh pods of babul tree are effective in sexual disorders like spermatorrhoea, frequent night discharges, loss of viscidity of the semen and premature ejaculation.
15. Neem Tree:
It is a tall evergreen tree with small bright green leaves. It is up to 100 feet tall. It blossoms in spring with the small white flowers. It has a straight trunk. Its bark is hard rough and scaly and fissured. The color of the bark is brown grayish. The leaves are alternate and consist of several leaflets with saw-like edges. Its flowers are small and white in color.
Neem tree is found throughout India. It is a popular village tree. Neem tree can easily grow in dry, stony, shallow and clayey soils. It needs very little water and plenty of sunlight. It grows slowly during the first year. It can be spread through the seeds and cuttings. Young Neem tree cannot tolerate excessive cold. People in India use its twigs to brush their teeth.
Neem is considered as the useful tree in rehabilitating the wasteland areas. Neem seed pulp is useful for methane gas production. Neem bark is used in tanning and dyeing. Neem cake is widely used in India as fertilizer for sugarcane, vegetable and other cash crops. Many countries have been consistently growing the Neem tree against the global warming.
16. Peepal Tree:
Peepal is a large, fast growing deciduous tree. It has a heart shaped leaves. It is a medium size tree. It has a large crown with wide spreading branches. It sheds leaves in the month of March and April. The fruits of the Peepal are hidden with the figs. The figs ripen in the month of May. The figs containing the flowers grow in pairs just below the leaves. They look like the berries. Its bark is light gray and peels in patches. Its fruit is purple in color. It is one of the longest living trees.
Peepal tree is grown throughout India. Peepal tree is easily spread through the seeds or through the cuttings. It can grow in any type of soil. Young peepal needs proper nourishment. It requires full sunlight and proper watering. From the bark of the Peepal tree reddish dye is extracted. Its leaves are used to feed the camels and the elephants. When the leaves are dried they are used for the decoration purpose.
17. Sal:
Sal is a large sub-deciduous tree. It is up to 30 meter high. Sal tree is rarely completely leafless. It has large leathery leaves and yellowish flowers. They have tough texture. Young trees have a linear crown, which becomes rounder and flatter with aging. The sapwood is whitish in color, thick and is less durable.
The heartwood becomes dark brown to black in color on exposure. The wood pores are filled with resin. Sal tree requires well-drained, moist and sandy loam soil. It can grow in any type of temperature. It is mostly spread through cuttings. In dry conditions it sheds leaves from February to March. New leaves appear in the month of April and May.
The flowers mature into fruit in summers and the seeds ripen in June-July. The leaves of the Sal tree are used by the tribal people for preparing rice cakes and for smoking. The leaves are used to make platters, bowls, small baskets and many more. Distilled leaves produce oil which is used in perfumery.
It is also used in flavoring chewing gums and tobacco. Its dried and fallen leaves are used as fertilizers. It is used for caulking ships and boats. The oil coming out from its seed is edible known as Sal butter. It is often used in cooking and for the burning in the oil lamps. The seeds of the Sal tree are used for fat extraction. Its oil is even used for adulterating ghee. Tribal people give marriage invitation in the form of folded Sal leaves, with the little bit of turmeric and rice inside it.
18. Teak:
Teak is tall evergreen tree. It has yellowish blonde to reddish brown wood. It attains the height of about 30 meter. The fruit is a drupe. It has bluish to white flowers. It produces the large leaf similar to the tobacco- leaf. The bark is whitish gray in color. It generally grows straight with the uneven texture, medium lustre and the oily feel.
The upper surface of the tree is rough to touch and the inner surface has hairs. The fruit is enclosed by the bladder like calyx, which is light brown, ribbed and papery. Teak is well grown in all the parts of India. The new plants can spread from cuttings. It is usually planted when they are four to six weeks old. Plough the land thoroughly and level it.
The best season to plant the teak is monsoon. Carry out weeding operations regularly. Teak requires loamy soil rich in humus and having the right content of moisture with good drainage. It grows well in hilly and dry areas. It requires a dry tropical climate for its growth.
It flowers in February and March. It is used in the furniture making, boat decks and for indoor flooring. It is widely used to make the doors and windows. It is resistant to the attack of termites. Its wood contains scented oil, which is the repellent to insects. The leaves yield the dye which is used to color the clothes and edible. Teak is probably the best-protected commercial species in the world.
19. Tulsi:
Tulsi is heavy branched having all over hair. It attains the height of about 75-90 cm. It has round oval shaped leaves up to 5 cm long. The leaves are 2-4 cm in length. Its seeds are flat. Its flowers are purple-cream in color. The Tulsa with the green leaves is called the Shri Tulsi and one with the reddish leaves is called the Krishna Tulsi.
Its seeds are yellow to reddish in color. A leaf of Tulsi contains essential oil. Tulsi grows wild in tropics and warm regions. Tulsi seeds germinate easily. The seeds are mainly sown in the spring season. They are watered from time to time and germinated in one to two weeks. Tulsi prefers rich soil for its growth. It requires full sunlight. It is mainly grown in the temperate climate. There are several handicraft jewellery items made of Tulsi wood.
20. Turmeric:
The plant of Turmeric is an herbaceous perennial, which is 60 -90 cm high. It has a short stem. It has large rectangular leaves and up to one meter long. Flowers of the turmeric appear on a spike like the stalk. Its flowers are yellow white in color. They are sterile and do not produce viable seed. The lamina is green above and pale green below, and is 30-40 cm long and 8-12 cm wide.
Approximately 30 flowers are produced in a spike. Inflorescence is a central spike of 10-15 cm in length. Its plant looks like the ginger plant. It is the widely cultivated tropical plant of India. Turmeric is planted in the month of September to October. It grows in light black, black clayey loams, and red soils in irrigated and rain-fed conditions.
The rhizomes are planted 5-7 cm deep. This crop is planted by the small rhizomes with one or two buds. It is harvested after 9-10 months of planting. The lower leaves turn yellow and fall with age. The powered rhizome of this plant is used as a condiment and as a yellow dye. It is used to color and flavor the foodstuff. It is used in the preparation of medicinal oils, ointments and poultice. It is even used in the cosmetics.