#ThursdayTreeLove – Page 10

28/03/201901/09/2020

Shining (ThursdayTreeLove)

Waras is a tree native to India yet there are not many of them growing in my city. It has large compound leaves that fall every winter and then the tree bursts into yellow funnel shaped flowers in February.

This year, I spotted its flowering both in the early morning and also on another tree at night.

At both times, the yellowish white flowers seemed to be glittering..

Here is a video of the flowering Waras in the morning…

I saw this tree at night and the flowers seemed to be glowing! Growing as it was on the footpath in an area of heavy traffic, the tree held its own, shining in its beauty for anyone who cared to look up!

Waras goes by the botanical name Heterophragma quadriloculare and belongs to the Bignoniaceae family.

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

Better still, join in.

14/03/201901/09/2020

You Choose (ThursdayTreeLove)

One a particularly chilly morning, I was trying to capture the colours of the sky as the Sun rose. As I checked the image, and despite not wearing my spectacles, I thought that something in the foreground was equally eye catching..

Sure enough, a closer look revealed that a Capparis was blooming and its flowers begged me to admire them too. Capparis grandis belongs to the Capparaceae family and its flowers characteristically have showy white protruding stamens.

I was torn between the glorious sky and the beautiful flowers of this tree.

I am unable to choose which is more beautiful..
I leave the choice to you!
🙂

This is my 40th post on this Label/Hashtag as I join Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove Blog hop. Its been a Tree(mendous) journey, one that I hope to continue to read (on other blogs) and share (here). So dear readers, join us on this blog hop to see some beautiful trees from around the world or better still, share yours!
🙂

28/02/201923/09/2021

Arrows (ThursdayTreeLove)

I spotted this Mango tree in full bloom quite recently. Almost every branch and subbranch seems to have an inflorescence. They reminded me of tiny arrows that seem to have framed the tree almost creating a brilliant halo around it!

Actually almost all Mango trees are blooming right now. The profuse flowering suggests a bumper harvest but usually many of the flowers fall off (for various reasons) and the actual fruiting may be lesser than the number of flowers.

Here is an image of the inflorescence.

Have you noticed the Mango blossoming in your city?
While there are several varieites of mangoes, they are horticultural variants of Mangifera indica. Mango belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. Cashew and the Indian Ash Tree are also members of Anacardiaceae.

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

14/02/201923/09/2021

Tennis Balls (ThursdayTreeLove)

January sees many trees lose their foliage in Pune and spring with its profuse flowering is still a few weeks away. Yet there is one tree that brings a smile not merely by its blooming but also by the ‘flowers’ themselves!

I am referring to Parkia biglandulosa which is locally called Chenduful belonging to the Mimosaceae family. Its a common avenue tree here and one realises its in bloom as one has to side step what look like furry balls when walking on the road. They obviously are not something kids have played with and one is compelled to look up. I have unfailingly been amazed to be looking up at what looks like tennis balls hanging down from the branches of the tree.

Each of these balls, is just the inflorescence and consists of several flowers. They remind me of tennis balls and I am still unable to understand why this Parkia is called Badminton Ball tree.. As far as I know, Badminton is played with a shuttlecock so…

Parkia biglandulosa is not native to India but I have seen it growing across the country even at one of our bases in the north east. Our daughter remembers playing with these blossoms and even preserving one of the furry balls in a box.. She still doesnt remember why and what happened to it later! More recently, one of the children in my Tree Walk group collected it as a memory of our walk!

A lovely tall tree with delicate leaves that reminds of the Gulmohor. I am sure most of you would have noticed these fallen ‘tennis balls’. If not, do look out for them as Parkia is still blooming at least here in my city!

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

24/01/201923/09/2021

Kailashnath Neem (ThursdayTreeLove)

Continuing on this e-visit to Ellora, here is a massive Neem tree. It is growing on the right side as we face the Cave 16 Kailash Temple complex. The straight trunk its vast base are eye catching.. The dense foliage hid its branching and only made it more imposing.

Here is another view ..

Later, I found that this tree is listed as the Kailashnath Neem under the Landmark Trees of India.

Going by the botanical name Azadirachta indica , it belongs to the Meliaceae family. Neem is a common species almost all over India. This is easily the tallest Neem I have seen!
I
have seen glorious trees at the Qutub Minar. Just proves that there’s more to archaeological sites than the structures.. We only need to look around!

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

10/01/201923/09/2021

Monumental (ThursdayTreeLove)

“Monuments and archaeological pieces serve as testimonies of man’s greatness and establish a dialogue between civilizations showing the extent to which human beings are linked”

Vicente Fox

This magnificent Ficus is growing at the entrance of the Ellora Cave complex. The winter morning sun streamed in through the leaves and aerial roots creating a pattern on the ground. My humble phone camera was unable to capture the full glory but I think this image gives a general idea!

A monumental tree at a UNESCO World Heritage site. What a wonderful coincidence!

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

27/12/201823/09/2021

Another Temple Tree (ThursdayTreeLove)

Continuing on the theme from the last ThursdayTreeLove post, here are a couple of Plumeria trees that are closer home. I photographed these in way back in May 2013 but they were still around and doing well when I last visited. The trees are in the premises of the Chaturshrungi Temple at Pune. For some reason they grow at an angle and seem to be coming out of the wall.

The gnarled trunks seem to be telling a story.. To me they convey the will to survive and succeed despite adversity..

What do these trees tell you?

Its the last week of 2018 folks. Here’s wishing all of you a very happy, healthy 2019, full of wonderful writing and reading!
🙂

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

13/12/201823/09/2021

Temple Tree (ThursdayTreeLove)

Temples often have wonderfully old trees with massive trunks and huge canopy. Common species that I have seen are the Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and of course the Temple Tree which is variously also called Chafa or Frangipani or Plumeria rubra . Usually the white flowered species is more common than others.

I saw this tree growing outside a Shiva temple located on Sadashivgad which is at Karad in Maharashtra. It was almost leafless and had only few flowers. This meant its superb branch ramification was easily viewed. The spread was so vast that I just could not capture it in a single frame!

Being a bonsai enthusiast, I was immediately drawn to the ‘nebari’ which refers to the radial layout of the roots as they emerge from the trunk base.

This would be a stunning sight when in full bloom!

Frangipani belongs to the Apocynaceae family. It is deciduous in nature, which means the leaves drop off in the winter season. This is an exotic species. In Pune, I have observed profuse flowering but rarely have I seen the fruit possibly because of lack of suitable pollinators.

Here is an image of the beautiful and fragrant flowers – but these were growing at another place. Pink and red are some other shades of the lovely blossoms.

I have seen spectacular Chafa trees in other temples as well but I shall reserve those for another post!

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!

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!