Red and Green (ThursdayTreeLove)
The Gulmohor (Delonix regia) of the Caesalpiniaceae family is a deciduous tree -which means it loses its foliage in the winter. Come summer it bursts into full red glory (sometimes orange).. but once it rains, the tree becomes a glorious green canopy.
Here are the images of the same tree in May and August! Nature has its own way of signalling seasons to the trees. Is it the temperature, position of the Sun, or something else?
Either way, trees dont need a calender .. infact, sometimes they indicate the upcoming season to us!
This is my TTL post from May 2020 – the very same tree in full red glory!
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!
Tranquil (Wordless Wednesday)
Yellow (ThursdayTreeLove)
What do you first see in this image? I know you will say trees.. we are on ThursdayTreeLove after all!! And you are right!!
Normally I would have admired the clouds or the view but this time the yellow blaze caught my eye. So much so that I walked an extra 500m to reach this tree.
There grew a row of Peltophorum pterocarpum and all were in bloom. Their blazing yellow flowers were the head turners that day. This tree belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family and is known as Copper Pod Tree. It is a common avenue tree in Pune and its dense green foliage is made up of pretty feather like leaves . Its fragrant flowers give way to rusty red pods hence the local name Copper Pod tree. The Peltophorum looks wonderful in bloom as well as when full of these coppery pods.
As I said, this is mostly an avenue tree which means one cannot really sit under its dense cool shade or enjoy its fragrance … It is all in a days work for the Peltophorum to lay out a yellow carpet for morning walkers..
Have you seen this majestic tree and enjoyed the fragrance of its blooms?
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!
Amazing Ochna (Wordless Wednesday)
Its finally rained in Pune and my Ochna is welcoming it whole heartedly!
Here are its blooms .. used my phone-friendly macro lens after a long time!
I am sure you loved these flowers as much as I enjoyed sharing with you.
I am joining Natasha in her Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Striking (ThursdayTreeLove)
“Love the trees until their leaves fall off and then encourage them to try again next year” – Chadd Sugg
Like my previous TTL post, this is another solitary tree on a plateau! After the first rains, the sky was absolutely clear and blue and I simply could not walk past without capturing the striking beauty of this tree against the sky.Â
 I think it is a Khair (Acasia genus but I havent got down to a specific ID) and belongs to the Mimosaceae family. It is deciduous and is just about breaking into new leaf right now.Â
Here are its blossoms..
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| Dont they remind you of the Diwali Fuljhadi ?? |
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!
Solitary And Strong (ThursdayTreeLove)
“Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong”
Winston Churchill
This tree grows alone by the edge of a quarry… I have seen it for at least a decade and I am fascinated by the shape of its trunk. Its obviously endured some trauma – either natural (wind etc) or human but it stands strong as ever.
Let me leave you to enjoy the tree and hopefully my image will convey the beauty of the spot it grows at.
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!
Glorious Gulmohor (ThursdayTreeLove)
May is peak summer in Pune.
Its also the time for the May Flower!
Its blossoms have a soothing effect despite the brilliant red… a colour that is usually associated with heat.
This is a beautiful Gulmohor tree growing on my regular walk route. Here it is..
Its also the time for the May Flower!
Its blossoms have a soothing effect despite the brilliant red… a colour that is usually associated with heat.
This is a beautiful Gulmohor tree growing on my regular walk route. Here it is..
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| From a distance.. looks like the rising Sun on the horizon! |
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| Walking closer to the tree |
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| Overlooking its huge canopy |
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| Brilliant |
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| Another view |
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| Beautiful Flowers |
Gulmohor belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family and is known all over the world by its botanical name of Delonix regia. The tree is an exotic species in India but is very common in all over the country especially as an avenue tree. It has a shallow root system which means trees tend to fall after a spell of heavy rains.
Some objections to this species (as its not indigenous) is that our birds do not nest on it; birds, insects and animals do not eat its fruit or nectar as food.
However I feel that its foliage gives us much needed oxygen and cooling shade.
What do you think?
Either way, May is the most glorious month for the Gulmohor!
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!
Thank You Trees (ThursdayTreeLove)
Thank You!
Due to the Covid19 lockdown, stores were open only for a couple of hours in Pune. 10am to Noon. People had to stand in a queue in designated spots to buy their needs.
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| Every shop had such circles marked out where customers had to queue up.. |
April is a pretty hot time of the year for us. Which means, this wait would have been really hot and trying if it were not for these wonderful trees by the roadside.
It did not matter if the trees were exotic, indigenous, flowering, fruiting, … they gave a welcome cooling shade for the folks below waiting patiently for their turn.
Thanks to the folks who planted these trees maybe two or three decades ago and we can now reap the benefits!
“One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade”- Chinese Proverb
I am sure all of you must have noticed and enjoyed the trees in your lane or your society in the lockdown period!
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!
Stay home folks and stay safe!
Wispy (ThursdayTreeLove)
We pass by this tree almost daily and February is the month when its most eye catching due to the wispy branch ends. It has shed its leaves sometime in November and bursts into these delicate inflorescence in February (usually).
Here is a cropped image..
It is locally called as Moi or Lannea coromandelica
Here is closer look at the flowers..
Dont they remind you of the Mango blossoms? That’s because both belong to the same family Anacardiaceae.
Soon these flowers develop into fruit.
Moi is an indigenous species and common in hills of Pune and there are a specimens that grow in the city as well. I have seen it in Pondicherry and even in Tadoba. It can be easily identified by its ashy mottled trunk and lovely leaves. Today, I dont have a leaf photo for you. May be a couple of months later when the tree bursts into foliage.
Pune hills have seen umpteen tree plantation drives.. and I have noticed that Moi is among the few that does well.
Have you noticed this tree in your city? Or its wispy flowers?
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Head over to see some wonderful trees from around the world. Better still, join in!