ThursdayTreeLove – Page 11

22/11/201823/09/2021

Native Beauty (ThursdayTreeLove)

My walks take me to an urban forest, which is protected to some extent. It mainly consists of Glyricidia sepium but some natives have survived and continue to thrive. This forest is a popular spot for health walkers on a daily basis and on weekends for bird watchers and photographers. Besides keeping up the heart rate and covering my mandatory distance, I keep a look out for the flora and it has paid rich dividends in helping me identify trees.

Today I am sharing a tree that I have seen growing only in the hills of Pune (of course, it does grow in other parts of India). It is locally called Dhawda and is a species of the Anogeissus genus of the Combretaceae family. I have not managed to identify down to to the specific name but based on descriptions in the book “आपले वृक्ष” by Prof SD Mahajan, I think it could be Anogeissus latifolia. It is a native species which is decidious in nature.

Surprisingly they are not found all over the hill forest but only in some sections.. maybe it has something to do with the underlying soil/rock which may have created a unique habitat suitable for this species. The plant grows to about 15 feet and its light coloured bark has whitish spots. Leaves are subopposite The tree becomes almost leafless in winter and then breaks into delicate inconspicuous flowers somewhere in March. The fruit is spiny , green initially and turns brownish red later.

Fruit

Subopposite leaves

Whitish spots on the trunk

A beautiful tree in whatever the season! Growing as they do in a protected area (for now), these trees seem to be happy here. I hope and pray they continue to grow and prosper in this habitat! While all trees are beautiful it is important to nurture natives.

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Head over to see some beautiful trees from around the world. Better still, join in!

08/11/201823/09/2021

Surprise (ThursdayTreeLove)

A walk on the hills of my city has become a part of my life and its something I crave for once there is a gap of more than 2 days. Ever since I started noticing the trees, I unknowingly keep track of them – at least those on my route. I know species that grow on the hill and where.
Or so I thought.
So it was a huge surprise when I came across this particular tree … Not one or two but an entire avenue as it were…

Which reminded me of John Muir’s words..

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more that one seeks”

Happily Surprised

This is the Garari which goes by the botanical name of Cleistanthus collinus of the Euphorbiaceae family. Its dark green leaves and almost black fissured trunk are quite attractive but the leaves, bark and roots are said to be poisonous.

Obviously, the hills will continue to surprise … Never take things for granted!

Have you been surprised by trees in your neighbourhood?

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still join in.

We are celebrating Diwali here in India so here’s wishing everyone..

Happy Prosperous Healthy Diwali! Lets see, learn from and appreciate what Mother Nature has to offer!

25/10/201823/09/2021

Survivor (ThursdayTreeLove)

This is my second ThursdayTreeLove post with the same title! Its not for lack of creativity but this seems to be the apt choice for the tree that I want to share.
My alternative title for today was Living Fossil.
With that, some of you may have guessed the ID of my tree.

That’s right! This is the Ginkgo biloba which is known for its brilliant yellow Fall Foliage.
I saw the above tree in the premises of a temple in Tokyo and it seemed to have its apex burnt off by lightning. It was obviously a very old tree judging by the texture and girth and appearance of the trunk. Despite losing its apex at some point, the tree had developed new lateral branches and continued to flourish. It did have some protection around it but visitors were not really interested in this.

Ginkgo biloba is a gymnosperm which means the seeds are not covered by true fruit. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, disturbed environments and air pollution. In fact, six Ginkgo trees even survived the A-blast of 06 August 1945 in Hiroshima. It is commonly seen as an avenue tree in urban areas – New York, Shanghai, Tokyo (some cities that I spotted the Ginkgo). It is called a living fossil because it is the only living species of its group.

Ginkgos boast pretty fan shaped leaves which are very distinctive. It is dioecious which means female and male specimens are separate. Most trees planted in cities are male because the fruit like seed has a foul smell when it falls to the ground!

This is among my favourite species, especially for its wonderful leaves.

Do you have the Ginkgo growing in your city?

I am joining Parul in her #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some glorious trees from around the world.

11/10/201823/09/2021

Support (ThursdayTreeLove)

Another set of photos from the Ross Island in the Andaman’s. Ficus trees are known and easily identifiable from their aerial roots. At times these from a ‘forest’ of sorts. At times they grow over and engulf any man-made structure that they grow beside or on.

Over time, the roots almost completely cover up the cement and concrete and it becomes difficult to decide if the brick structure is supporting the tree or the tree is holding the bricks together!

See for yourself!

The Ficus trees growing in the temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia are very famous and you may have seen pictures of them or even visited.

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world.
Better still, join in with a photo of a tree that has caught your eye!
🙂

27/09/201823/09/2021

Canopy (ThursdayTreeLove)

Rain Trees are fairly common avenue trees in Pune. I have been told that these were planted specifically because their canopies give good shade and they grow very fast. Many have massive trunks that cover the entire footpath forcing pedestrians to walk onto the road. Some would take five people holding hands to ’embrace’ the tree!

I have always seen these huge trees from the ground up. Recently I saw their canopies almost at an eye level from the sixth floor of a building. The foliage looked absolutely amazing — almost like green waves rolling in towards a beach!

Okkk that maybe a slight exaggeration but indeed the canopies are really beautiful.

Rain Tree (Albizia saman) is an exotic species in Pune and is found very commonly. It bears fragrant pink flowers that resemble Shireesh (Albizia lebbeck). This is but natural as the two are ‘cousins’ – botanically speaking.

Some of the older neighbourhoods in the city boast such Rain Tree-lined roads and the street below get bathed in the filtered sunlight thus staying fairly cool. Looking up, one can see a beautiful netted canopy created by the multiple branches and subbranches which glitters in the sun.

I am joining Parul in her bimonthly ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world.
Better still, join in with your trees.
🙂

13/09/201823/09/2021

Survivor (ThursdayTreeLove)

Going through old travel photos is a wonderful way to relive the experience. Often the albums throw up surprises – like identifying a flower or tree ..

A relook at my Andaman trip album threw up a few images of trees that have survived the all-destructive Tsunami that hit the region in 2004.

On Ross Island, we saw this ancient Tree with an incredible root structure. It reminded me of the giant Silk Cotton tree in the Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru.

If you zoom into the photo, you can see what may be a strangling Ficus growing on one of the branches.

An amazing tree that has stood the test of time and Nature’s Fury.

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some amazing trees from around the world.

Better still, if you have a photo of a tree that has caught your eye, then do join us in this bimonthly tree fiesta!

Stay healthy and happy folks!

23/08/201823/09/2021

The Sentinel (ThursdayTreeLove)

The hills in Pune are one of the prized gifts of Nature to this city. They offer a wonderful vantage point up above the homes and offices and factories below. Some parts of this land is held by the Forest Department, some of it is privately held and most have no proper internal roads other than one to reach the top.

Lack of easy access has been a boon of sorts as it has kept the area free for flora and fauna. Some of the trees growing are not seen in the city. Conversely, some trees that flourish in the city and elsewhere seem to struggle on the hills. A unique geology may be a contributory factor.

One such example is some of the Ficus species especially Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa. Among us bonsai growers in India, Ficus is a very forgiving species – grows rapidly, does not grumble on hard pruning or wiring or root pruning and is happy in pots.

Naturally, I expected the Ficus to flourish when planted out in the open. Yet it just about seems to survive on the hills, never really achieving the grand size that one associates with Ficus trees. The Vetal tekdi has a great Peepal near one of the Maruti temples and a huge Ficus bengalensis near the ARAI entrance – both pretty old. All other planted Ficus are just about six feet tall with not much branching or foliage or trunk girth.

Happily, some days back I spotted this one – a Peepal – that has achieved a reasonable height and size. From its spot on the Vetal Tekdi, it seems to be watching over Pune and Punekars – a sentinel as it were..

Stay happy tree, hope to see you grow big and tall!

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Head over to see some fantastic trees around the world. If you have a tree that caught your eye, then do join in!

09/08/201823/09/2021

Middle Path (ThursdayTreeLove)

My walks have been taking me on a different route, the change being dictated by the incessant rains that render my usual path too slushy for a comfortable walk. These trees growing along the edge of the cut face of the hillside always caught my eye. Their roots seem to have bored into the stone in a bid to stay alive, support life.

The road we walk upon has been built by breaking up the slope of the hill. Each time it rains, there is extensive erosion and I wonder how long the trees will continue to live in this habitat. The hills of Pune are under a constant threat that goes under the name of development.

Clinging on

The trees have survived through vagaries of nature but can it withstand the onslaught of plans created by Man?

Of course we need roads but we also need our hills and trees.

A golden middle path has to be found.

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop.
Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world.
Better still, join in!

PS: This tree is the Boswellia serrata of the Burseraceae family.

26/07/201823/09/2021

Mad Tree (ThursdayTreeLove)

Our guide very apologetically said, “This is the Mad Tree”. I was stunned. In whatever little bit I have read about trees and their names, I had never come across this one..

It was a wonderful tree, with a graceful buttress and showed nothing that would have earned it this title of being ‘Mad’.

In any tree, all leaves have the same shape but in this case, no two leaves are identical. This is said have earned it this name. It grows in the Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden in Kolkata and is the Buddha’s Coconut or Pterygota alata .

Its an evergreen species native to India and grows to be very tall. A beautiful stately tree.

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Head over to see some wonderful trees from around the world.
Better still, join in!

11/07/201823/09/2021

Sea Change (ThursdayTreeLove)

These trees caught my eye in the peak of summer because it seemed as if their bare branches had intertwined to create a black and white painting! This effect continued even as I walked closer to the trees.

This was on 23rd May 2018.

Just a few days and a couple of showers later, both had undergone a sea change.. Here are the same two trees on the 18th June 2018.

Surprisingly the two-toned effect continues even once trees are full of leaves. One had lighter green leaves and the one had dark green foliage.

The strangest part is that I have walked on this spot for so many years in all seasons, but it was only last month that I noticed the colours. The trees are beautiful both with and without foliage.

Nature’s beauty is all around us at all times of the year. We only have to look.

I am joining Parul in her #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Head over to see some amazing trees from around the world.

PS. Tree ID: The lighter coloured tree is a Dalbergia sp and the one with the dark bark is a species of Accacia.