Tree Walk - Panagal Park. T.Nagar, Chennai

Chennai had rains even during December last year ie., year 2010. Also the winter was unusually chill. 'Nizhal', a NGO, which conducts tree walks as one of its activities, in different places in the city periodically, had announced that 5th December, Panagal Park at T.Nagar, will be the spot for Tree Walk. As I had earlier missed Nageswara Rao Park, I thought I will join this, though I could spot only a few backyard trees like Mango, Banana, Coconut etc.

On 5th December, when myself and my husband started at 6.30 in the morning, it started drizzling. I thought the programme is going to be cancelled. But by God's grace the drizzle did not become heavy rain and we, a 20 odd people, could make it with umbrellas and caps. Here is a report of what I could gather from the walk.

Peepul Oldest, found in the world , flowers and fruits 3 to 4 times in a year. Popular with birds, squirrels. King Asoka’s daughter Sangamitra planted this tree in Anuradapura, Srilanka 2300 years back. Villagers conduct their meetings under this tree. Considered very religious. Grows so well.

Nettilingam Tall, not much branches, small branches tend to hang down. English name Mast, branches coming down, so called Pendula. This tree is pollinated by bats.

Custard Apple Seetha pazham . Flower will be greenish, cannot be noticed, comes between leaves. Pollination is done by beetles. Bats love the fruit.

Elephant Earpod Tree. Found in India and South East Asia. The compound leaves resemble Gulmohar a bit. Flowers look like that of Vagai.

Silk Cotton Elavanpanju Not flowering, huge tall tree. The trunk will be green, it is thorny. It has come from South America, through West Asia to India.

Casuarina Brought from Australia to prevent Tsunami. Found in sea coasts. Good fire wood. Pulp used to make paper. Silent. No insects, no birds.

Banyan The biggest is found in a village in Andhra Pradesh with 3000 hanging roots.

Puthranjeeva or Child life tree There are male and female variety in this tree and they are separate trees. Both the trees flower. The leaves give out an oil. Hence will not be eaten by goats and cattle.

Pungam Fungal growth, but young leaves will not have this. During Feb/March flowers appear and will be pale pink in colour.

Custard Cousin of Mast tree. Pulps latex.

Copper Pods Pods are of copper colour. The copper shield lies below the flower. This is cousin of Gulmohar and will fall early.

Rain Tree or Thoongumoonji Maram Brought from South America. Related to Vaagai of Tamilnad. Dirty flowers, homes for insects which will give off a liquid that falls down

Palmyra Palm Green leaves, exotic. This is the tree of our Tamilnad State. Every part of the tree is useful. We get padanir, Nungu etc. Skin, trunk everything made use of. Even ropes are made from this tree.

(National tree is Banyan)

Tamarind Not an Indian tree. Brought from South Africa 600-700 years ago.

Brazilian Iron wood The tree will peel like paper. The wood is hard as iron. The leaves look pretty.

Mahogany Wood The wood is inferior. Brought from South America.

Bullet wood The flowers are extremely fragrant (Mahizham Poo – Tamil). Wood is strong. It is very good as avenue tree. The fruit is edible. It is the cousin of Sapota.

Cannon Ball Tree. The tree is known as Nagalingam in Tamil as the beautiful flower resembles a linga with snake head. The fruits are heavy and may fall anytime and crack. Hence not planted in crowded places. The fruits come out from trunk and will look shabby. The fruits will have 200 – 300 seeds inside.

Bougan Villa Brought from South America. Will have beautiful flowers in red, pink, purple and yellow. It needs to be pruned periodically.

Wood Apple Vilampazham in Tamil. This is an Indian tree. The rind if the fruit is very hard and the inner pulp is sticky. This is related to another Indian tree Vilvam or Bilva. Both are rich in iron, calcium and other nutrients. Bilva is used in medicines.

Jamun Tree Naval pazham in Tamil. Very much an Indian tree, Planted as avenue tree on roads. They flower in March/April and fruit will come in May/June. Birds flock this tree to eat the fruit.

Trumpet Tree The leaves look like fingers. The flowers are in beautiful pink or sometimes white (seen inside Fort St.George). Brought from South America.

Sausage Tree Planted as ornamental trees which will have purple flowers. The tree is bat pollinated one. The fruits will resemble cucumber. They are from Africa.

Yanai Kundumani Red seeds. People in olden days used these seeds to weigh gold. The leaves of the tree are alternative.

I wonder how many of these I will be in a position to recognise, but still when I go out I do look at trees and try to identify. Few more Tree Walks, I may gain some knowledge. So thanks to the organizers, 'Nizhal'

Any wrong identity of trees in the above picture, designed by me, can be informed as a comment for the benefit of all. ( Pictures taken by my husband)
The Walk was conducted by Ms. Chitra, member Nizhal Organisation. The Nizhal Trust can be contacted at 044-42045137, website : www.nizhaltn.org.