Artocarpus heterophyllus M: Plavu, E: Jackfruit, Ta: Pilapalam, H: Katthal This is a large tree that has the largest fruit in the world. It is native to the Western Ghats but is now cultivated inmany others parts of the country.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Dark green
15-25 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Green
Tiny

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
Green
Ovoid
Gigantic

Mimusops elengi M: Elengi, E: Bulletwood, Ta: Magizham, H: Maulsari The scientific name of this tree comes from its Malayalam name. The wood is extremely hard, the fruits are edible and oil is extracted from the seeds.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
5-15 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
White
1-2 cm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Orange-red
--
~3 cm

Neolamarckia cadamba M: Katampu, E: Wild Chinchona, Ta: Vellaikatampu, H: Kadamb The flowers of this tree are delicately scented, and are used in decoration and prayer. The fruits are eaten by birds, monkeys and bats.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
Up to 30 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Yellow-orange
Tiny

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
Yellow
Round
--

Syzygium cumini M: Njaval E: Black plum, Ta: Neredam, H: Jamun The delicious fruits of this tree stain your mouth black. The leaves, bark and seeds are used in traditional medicine; and the wood is used extensively in construction.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Reddish-brown
Green
7-15 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
White
Tiny

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Purple-black
Round
1-5 cm

Ficus racemosa M: Atti, E: Country fig, Ta: Atti, H: Gular This is a large fig tree, whose fruits are eaten by many birds and mammals. The bark is often pock-marked with dark "craters". The flowers are inside the fruits, as in all figs, and so cannot be seen from the outside.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
9-13 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
--
--

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Reddish
Round
2-3 cm

Holoptelea integrifolia M: Aaval, E: Indian Elm, Ta: Aya, H: Kanju This is a very large tree, found across India. The wood is soft and light.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
8-15 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Greenish-brown
Tiny, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown
Flat, papery
2 cm

Lagerstroemia speciosa M: Manimaruthu, E: Queen's flower, Pride of India, Ta: Kadali, H: Jarul This is a very beautiful flowering tree with pink rose-like wrinkled flowers in large clusters. Maharashtra has honoured this tree by making its flower the state flower.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Pink
Green
Up to 26 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Pink
7cm, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Black
Round
2 cm

Phyllanthus emblica M: Nelli, E: Indian Gooseberry, Ta: Nelli, H: Amla This tree grows wild in forests. The fruit has large quantities of vitamin C, and is famously sour in taste.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
8-12 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Pink/greenish
Small

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
Yellow-green
Round
2-4 cm

Ficus religiosa M: Arayal, E: Bodhi tree, Ta: Ashvatham/Aracu, H: Pipal This is a well-known tree across India. It is said that Gautama Buddha became enlightened meditating under one of these trees in Bodh Gaya in Bihar. It is a fig tree, and like all figs, you cannot see the flowers because they are inside the fruits.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Pinkish-green
Green
14 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
--
--

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Purple-black
Round
1-1.5 cm

Mangifera indica M: Maavu, E: Mango, Ta: Maanga, H: Aam Who doesn't know the mango tree, famed in folk stories and for the flavour of its delectable fruit? There are many hundreds of varieties of mango in India.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Pink/purple
Deep green
--

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Yellowish-green
Tiny, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Yellow or red
Mango-shaped!
--

Gmelina arborea M: Kumbil, E: Kashmir teak, Ta: Kumadi, H: Gamar This tree is best known for its wood which is sometimes called "white teak".

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
10-38 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Yellow & brown
3-4 cm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Dark green
Yellow
--
Up to 2.5 cm

Macaranga peltata M: Vatta/Uppila, E: Macaranga, Ta: Vattakkanni, H: Chandada An easy way to identify the Chandada is to notice that the leaf stalks are attached on the underside of the leaf and not to the base of the leaf as in most other trees.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
12-21 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Yellowish-white
5-6 mm, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
Yellowish
Round
4-5 mm

Alstonia scholaris M: Paala/Ezhilampaala, E: Devil's tree, Ta: Mukumpalai, H: Saptaparni / Shaitan ka jhad The name "scholaris" has come because in olden times the slates that chidren used were made from the soft wood of this tree. And the name "Devil's tree" in English and "shaitan ka jhad" in Hindi have probably come because this tree is shunned by animals because of its poisonous nature.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
Up to 24 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Greenish-white
Small, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
--
Long, thin
Up to 40 cm

Madhuca longifolia M: Ilippa, E: Butter tree, Ta: Illupei, H: Mahua In many parts of India this is considered to be a very valuable tree because it gives nutritious food for millions of poor people. The flowers are eaten raw and in a season a large tree can give 300 kg of flowers. The seeds give ???mahua butter??? that is used in cooking.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Pink
Dark green
13-25 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Creamy white
3-5 cm, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Orange
--
2-5 cm

Tectona grandis M: Thekku, E: Teak, Ta: Tekkumaram, H: Sagwan The large tree is world famous for its beautiful, strong, durable wood.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
Very large

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
White
Tiny, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
Greenish
Round, papery
1-3 cm

2,8

Bauhinia purpurea M: Mandaram, E: Purple bauhinia, Ta: Nilattiruvatti, H: Kaniar There are many types of Bauhinias and their leaves and flowers look similar. It is relatively easy to tell the Purple bauhinia apart because the petals in its flower do not overlap. The pods of this tree burst open with a loud sound and the seeds get scattered up to 6 m away. The outer covers of the pods become spiral shaped after the seeds are thrown out.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
15 cm, camel's hoof

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Pink/violet
5-8 cm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown
Long flat pod
Up to 30 cm

Erythrina indica M: Mullumurikku, E: Indian coral tree, Ta: Mullumurukku, H: Pangra A beautiful ornamental tree that is planted in gardens and parks, the flowers of this tree are bright red and striking. A variety of birds are visitors to the coral tree when it is in flower. The flowers appear when the tree is completely bare of leaves.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
~20cm, trifoliate

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Brilliant red
4-5 cm, clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Black
Long, cylindrical
Up to 30 cm

Aegle marmelos M: Koovalam, E: Wood apple, Ta: Vilvan, H: Bael This is a very useful tree for various reasons. The tree is sacred to Hindus and the leaves are used in Shiva temples. Various parts of the tree are used for their tonic and antibiotic properties to cure a large range of ailments. The sweet pulp of the fruit is drunk as a refreshing sherbet. The leaves are used as fodder and the wood was used to create agricultural implements.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
Trifoliate

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Green/white
Clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Yellow
Round, woody
12-14 cm

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

Cassia fistula M: Kanikonna, E: Indian laburnum, Ta: Konnei, H: Amaltas This is the State flower of Kerala.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Brownish
Green
Up to 45 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Bright yellow
Clusters up to 60 cm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown-black
Long pipes
Up to 60 cm

Pongamia pinnata M: Ungu, E: Indian beech, Ta: Ponga, H: Karanj The seeds, root, bark, leaves and flowers all have various uses in traditional medicine so this is a valuable tree. A reddish oil extracted from the seeds called karanj oil is used to light lamps or as a lubricant for engines.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Bright green
Dark green
~20 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
White/pinkish
Clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Yellow or greyish brown
Flattened oval, woody
~5 cm

Saraca asoca M: Ashokam, E: True Ashok, Ta: Ashokam, H: Ashoka This evergreen tree is rated by some as one of India's most beautiful trees, with the orange-red flowers in bunches among the dense, dark leaves. It is said that Buddha was born under an Ashoka tree, so this tree is sacred to the Buddhists. Hindus also have many sacred associations with this tree.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Pinkish
Green
--

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Orange-red
Clustered

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Reddish
Black
Curved pod
Up to 25 cm

Tamarindus indica M: Puli, E: Tamarind, Ta: Puli, H: Imli This large tree with very small but dense leaves is believed to have come to India from East Africa many centuries ago. Today it is cultivated all over the warm parts of our country and appears like a local Indian tree.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Light green
Dark green
7-15 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
Light pink
Pale yellow
~15 mm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown
Flat & curved
Up to 20 cm

Delonix regia M: Gulmohur, E: Flame tree, Ta: Gulmohur, H: Gulmohur This common tree of roadsides and avenues, with its beautiful flowers, is grown all over India, but is a native of the forests of Madagascar.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Dark green
--

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Bright red
Up to 12 cm

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown/black
Flat long pods
Up to 60 cm

Samanea saman M: Rain tree, E: Rain tree, Ta: Rain tree, H: Vilayati siris The Rain Tree is a native of Central America and the West Indies, but it is widely cultivated throughout the tropics. It was introduced into India from Jamaica.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
Light green
Dark green
--

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Pinkish red
--

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
--
--
Fleshy pod
--

4,7

4,8

Bombax ceiba M: Mulilavu, E: Red Silk Cotton, Ta: Mulilavu, H: Semul This tree has branches coming out in all directions and has many levels at which these branches come out like the ribs of many umbrellas one on top of the other. The large flowers are pollinated by birds, and after they fall on the forest floor, are eaten with relish by wild animals. The woody fruit bursts open to release hundreds of seeds attached to sliky fibres, that are wafted away in the wind.

Leaf
Fresh
Mature
Size

 
--
Green
Up to 25 cm

Flower
Bud
Open
Size

 
--
Red
Large

Fruit
Unripe
Ripe
Shape
Size

 
Green
Brown
Woody capsule
Up to 18 cm

5,2

5,3

5,4

5,5

5,6

5,7

5,8

• PLAVU
• ELENGI
• KATAMPU
• NJAVAL
• ATTI
• AAVAL
• MANIMARUTHU
• NELLI

• ARAYAL
• MAAVU
• KUMBIL
• VATTA/UPPILA
• PAALA
• ILIPPA
• THEKKU

• MANDARAM
• MULLUMURIKKU
• KOOVALAM

• KANIKONNA
• UNGU
• ASHOKAM
• PULI
• GULMOHUR
• RAIN TREE

• MULILAVU