Common Trees, Shrubs, and Plants in India South of the Himalayas

Many botanical names are disputed. I have not given botanical names of most flowers because of the many species and cultivars.

TREES AND SHRUBS

NATIVE

Aam/Amri/Ambi (Mango) (Mangifera indica)

Amaltas (Cassia fistula)

Amlaki/Amla (Indian gooseberry) (Phyllanthus emblica)

Amrood (Guava) (Psidium guajava)

Anjan (Indian blackwood) (Hardwickia binata)

Arjun (Terminalia arjuna)

Ashok (Polyalthia longifolia)

Babul (Salvadora persica and S. oleiodes)

Baheda (Belleric) (Terminalia bellirica)

Bahr (Banyan) (Ficus bengalensis)

Champaka (Michelia champaca)

Chenar (Platanus orientalis)

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)

Dhak (Flame of the forest) (Butea monosperma)

Dhauldhak (Coral tree) (Erythrina variegata and E. suberosa)

Harshingar (Night-blooming Jasmine) (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis)

Imli (Tamarind) (Tamarindus indica)

Jadi (Ficus amplissima)

Jamun (Syzigium cumini); Rai jamun (Syzigium nervosum)

Jarul (Queen’s crape myrtle) (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

Kadam (Neolarmarckia cadamba)

Katthal (Jackfruit) (Artocarpus heterophyllus)

Kewra (Screw pine) (Pandanus fascicularis)

Khirni (Ceylon ironwood) (Manilkara hexandra)

Lantana (Lantana camara)

Laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa)

Maharukh (Tree of heaven) (Ailanthus excelsa)

Mahua (Madhuca longifolia var. latifolia)

Mari (Jaggery or toddy palm) (Caryota urens)

Maulsari (Mimops elengi)

Morpankhe (Laurel tree) (Kalmia latifolia)

Mowa (Indian Butter tree) (Bassia latifolia)

Neem (Azadirachta indica)

Peepal (Ficus religiosa)

Pilkhan (Ficus virens)

Putranijiva (Drypetes roxburghii)

Ramdhan Champa (Ochna obtusata); Champ (Michelia champaca): both referred to as Golden Champak in English

Sagwan (Teak) (Tectona grandis)

Semal (Silk cotton tree) (Bombax Ceiba)

Shisham (Indian rosewood) (Dalbergia sissoo)

Siris (Albizia lebbeck) Sita-Ashok (Sorrowless tree) (Saraca asoca, formerly Jonesia asoca)

INTRODUCED, PRIMARILY BY MUGHALS AND EUROPEANS

Almond (Middle East)

Baobab (Adansonia digitata) (Africa)

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) (South America)

Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis)

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) (China) 316

Custard-Apple (Annona reticulata) (Central America and West Indies)

Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

Eucalyptus (Australian)

Frangipani (Plumeria rubra and P. obtusa) (Central and South America)

Fruit trees: orange, lime, citron, quince, cherry, apple, pomegranate, plum, apricot, pear, mulberry

Gulmohur (Gold Mohur) (Delonix regia) (Madagascar)

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) (Brazil)

Mexican Morn (Prosopis juliflora) (South America)

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) (South America)

Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) (East and Southern Africa)

Weeping Bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis)

Yellow Oleander (Thevetia peruviana) (Mexico and West Indies)

FLOWERS, SMALL SHRUBS AND CREEPERS

NATIVE OR INTRODUCED VERY EARLY

Amaranthus

Chandni (Moonflower)

Henna

Hibiscus: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and H. mutabilis

Impatiens balsamina

Jasmine: many varieties, including madhavi, mogree, and the tree form, Harsinghar (see above)

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera): red, white, blue

Tuberose

Tulsi (Holy basil)

INTRODUCED BY MUGHALS OR EUROPEANS

(Plants common in Mughal gardens may have been reintroduced by the British or introduced as different varieties.)

POTTED PLANTS

FLOWERS IN THE BEDS AND BORDERS OF THE “MUGHAL

GARDEN,” RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN, IN 2003

(See http://presidentofindia.nic.in/S/html/mughal.htm)